Autism Day at the Zoo...

it will be a miracle if i ever get all 5 of my kids in a picture with everyone looking, behaving and all somewhat cute! here we are trying to do just that at the springfield zoo on autism day. which basically means nothing more than: it was FREE!! the kids had fun and it filled our saturday night with memories.

It was so impressive to see all my children wait for over 20 minutes to get their balloon animal fro the ever so patient clown! by the time we got there, i had successfully convinced 3 of the 4 to get swords...why? becuase they take all of about 4 seconds to make. leave it to Bella to insist on the poodle with special eyes and mouth and of course a certain way the tail just had to be!!

one more attempt at 4 kids....


Bella...being Bella!

Growing Up...

It was time again for Isabella's and Makenna's birthdays. i got brave and decided to invite actual children this time. they have now been to real birthday parties and know that other kids can be invited, so it was time to bring on the chaos. AND IT WAS! what was supposed to be an easy outdoors water toys party, turned into a complete steady downpoor of rain all day long leaving about 20 people in my house with lots of kids! we improvised well. did a game or two in the downstairs playroom, and other than that, just let those kiddos play.

Bella wanted a princess cake..and OH did my mom deliver! bella loved it!

Kenna on the other hand wanted spiderman, but still my mom pulled through!

Bella's face says it all! she was so happy when we all sang to her!
this moment is captured in my heart forever for sure!

makenna asked for a pirate costume. she got one...and began her piracy right away!! MamaLane was the victim this time!

Bella's best friend, Caleb! they just love each other!

Makenna's best friend, Lili!

The boys found the air hockey table to their liking. we had to pry them all off of it!

once time to open gifts it really got crazy! because of the rain the kids were in the floor with all the other kids/adults around them! not good! there was a little girl there that just could not stop opening the girl's presents. so, i will be doing my best when trying to do thank you cards. i think she was about 3 presents ahead of teh girls most of the time. most of the time we didn't know who's presents she was even opening. she was a little excited! in that chaos, we did get a good pic of kenna with her new doll that she named Annie (after annie oakley of course!)

we loved the game the kids played with balloons. i especially loved the game they played cleaning up...who knew cleaning balloons was so much fun. for some reason the movie won't post, but you can always click on the link if you ever want to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCB1xIGI_sE

Without a vision the people perish...

Dirk and I spent quite an amount of time a few months ago developing our vision for our family, our motto and our overall philosophy of homeschooling our children. it was actually a fun process, really trying to pin down the exact things we believed were important in our life and our family. To bring it home a bit, we decided to write it on our walls so that not only would we be held accountable by others simply viewing it, but so that that our kids could see it daily and remember why we are here. They are not eloquent, or even extensive, but they sure sum up what we want desperately to teach our kids. what i love is that our children are already reading them, asking about what they mean and "how" we do it. i love that. what a way to teach them! Almost every morning Kenna says, "mommy, Homeiers love God and love others". they are starting to use it in everyday lessons too as one will do or see something that is unloving, the other will "correct" them by telling them that Homeiers love god and love others. it is priceless to hear from your kids...the real meaning of living on this earth. it is also starting to cement in them the idea of a family and how God has put all 7 of us together. i heard one child say this morning, "i am not going to be your friend: and kenna says, "now, Ian, we are a family, we will always be friends". Can't imagine where they have heard that before! anyway, i encourage all of you to come together as a family and decide what your vision for your life is...and how to live that out. it is actaully freeing!!!

Our MOTTO:

Cabin Fever!

MY MOM ROCKS!! my mom had a cabin built for the kids at her house so they can all do what they love best...play poineers and cowboys. pause the background music and press play. this thing is huge! i can walk around in it. it even has a loft bed and a place for the kids to play babies. and of course Ian has a barn for his beloved tractor!

Pioneer Pie...

Here is Isaiah making us Poineer pie in his cabin. i love the part where he takes the rolling pin and throws it in the air while snapping his leg back...too cute! it is a bit long, but really shows the love and care my mom put into this cabin..it has all the trimmins!

Don't Let Bella Be Your Starbucks Barista

i just love this video of bella...it is SO Bella!!

A Lesson in the Park...

It was sunday afternoon and i began our word of the day at the lunch table. we were talking about "pilgrimage" and what it meant and if we could go on one. before you know it, the kids had planned a "pilgrimage" on our bikes once again to the covered bridge at pioneer park. but not just an ordinary pilgrimage...no...they wanted a fruit picnic on a blanket and to read our book about Abraham Lincoln!! my wonderful kids thought up a whole day of learning all on thier own! that was one extra day of school we got done impromptu on a sunday: PE (biking), many agricultural lessons along the way, we learned about science (poison ivy luckily from afar), and many chapters of the lincoln book to which i was even blessed to learn a few facts. we left happier, healthier, smarter and ready for our waffles and fruit dinner at home!

this picture has nothing to do with the covered bridge except we were there. i just love that they are giving each other the same expression...cute pic!

Daddy and Elias enjoying the view of watching the kids explore!

the funny part was that we were at the park 5 days before where i saw a sign that read "video survelience at all times for your safety". well, my kids had to go potty. so here i was in the middle of a historic park with nothing but nature around holdin' my kids in the grass trying to get them to pee in the most clean, private way possible. well, when we returned to the park this time 5 days later, the first thing we now saw was ...PORTA POTTIES!!!

guess there really was a vidoe!

Pioneer Park...

now that Ian can ride a bike with no trainign wheels, mommy actually gets to go biking on her own bike too! we took a 15 miles bike trip to the covered bridge this day. it was so fun!

elias and makenna are ready to go!

Here is the covered bridge we went to see. i love this place because no one is ever there and there are no toys so it is all imaginary play and exploring!

off they go!

Isaiah just had to ride his bike through the bridge. it was really cool...

Ian was so cute on this trip (although i just realized i don't have picture of him on this trip). we were out riding in the country and he says he wants to live in the country when he grows up. now, ian loves to pick flowers...i mean loves it! so we are passing tons and tons of wildflowers, black eyes susans, you name it. and my little sweet cutie says, "mommy, i am gonna come pick all these flowers for my wife when i grow up!" i love that boy!

Our history lesson today was about how the first clothing was made long ago. to be in fashion with the long ago times, we made our own "animal tusk necklaces". it's just that ours were made out of corks! they love them...and yay to daddy who drilled all the holes in 35 corks!!

The Three Amigos...

The best thing about homeschooling is how much these kids love to play together and learn together! we were just starting a lesson on how the pioneers moved westward. there is nothing like dressing the part! my 3 amigos got right down to business ridin their wagon west and chasing outlaws of course!

Elias is now 15months old and still remains everyone's joy in this house! He is turning out to be quite the baby of the family personality too. he makes jokes and plays games and does so just to get you to laugh (and then laughs all the more himself!).

He has learned how to plug his ears and will do so at just the most opportune times. such as when i put him to bed i sing to him (a lot). he loves and i mean loves old hyms (takes after my dad there). so one day he was requesting his new favorite "itsy bitsy spider" ( i know not an old hymn, but the newest fave nonetheless). he kept sayign it however, i just kept singing a song i wanted to sing. when all of a sudden after a rather demanding request (to no avail) he plugs his ears and just laughs and laughs. he would take his fingers out, listen, then plug again and just laugh so hard. then i started itsy bitsy spider and he removes his fingers, hears his song and gently lays his hands in his lap to listen!!! then he looked at me and we both cracked up!!!

School Times are Here Again...

The time came again to decide whether or not to send Bella to pre-k again. well, obviously we decided it best she go. she really loves it and has a best friend named Caleb that she likes to lick! yes, Lick! they are two peas in a pod! Bella was nervous about school this year. she has new teacher, Makenna is not going, and most of all her room was rearranged (which almost killed her!).

So far is has proven to be the best decision for Bella. i have been wondering about a learning disability that she may have. i had been thinking that it was the ADHD that so desperatelyhas ahold of her brain, but even after the addition of medication (which has helped tremendously), she is still having trouble learning. her behavior has worsened and i am just starting to feel her "falling through the cracks". well a new roller coaster has begun for me. just when i think i have all these kids figured out, a new problem arises. however, i am sure glad that God has allowed me to get the help the kids have needed thus far, and so early. i feel everyone is under control excpet bella. we are missing something with her. one of her dr's suggested we take her to a behavioral therapist. well so far that has proven to be the best thing ever! i have only had one meeting with her and already i not only love her, but she is keenly observant and interested in truly helping my baby girl. my suspicion for a learning disability seems to be true although testing is still in the waiting. however, what i did not know is that the learning disability can cause all these behavioral problems we are seeing! who knew!! so, we meet again in two weeks and i already can't wait to see what she has in store to help my bella! please keep her in your prayers!

More Training Wheels a-fallin'...

The time has come that I, as a mother, dread once again. another baby taking the training wheels off! Ian was so excited! it just amazes me how much more Isaiah and Ian can play together now too. they are suddenly like bossom buddies that can do "big boy" stuff together now. it has drastically changed thier relationship. just three more to go!

FAIR FOOD!!!..

Yep..the state fair is here!! which means tons of highly nutritious food like corn dogs, french fries, shakes, and elephant ears!!! this night was really really fun. the kids were so happy. unfortunately auntie na has most of the pics from this night so i will have to post later, but i just had to share a few of my favs!

Hapy Birthday to Me!...

My husband is so good!!! so, special occasions have been going down hill a bit the last year or two. you know, cards bought last minute, presents dwindling, and often replacing presents with flowers (which i hate). so, this birthday i thought i would plant a small subtle seed and i simply said, "honey, my birthday is coming up...and i want a card...and i want a cake...and i want a present." i only repeated it every day for 3 or 4 days, til i thought it was starting to get too obvious.

So, on my birthday i wake up to a card that says, among various other wonderful words, get ready for a weekend of refreshing and reconnecting. i was quite excited, but not too much remembering how the past few times has been. but then, while at the st. louis zoo with the kids that day, isaiah hands me a card at the elephants (who were quite enjoyable that day i might add). it said to make sure i was home by 3:30 and not late.

when i arrived home, i was promptly wisked away to what i soon came to find was a massage. not just a massage, but one that dirk had arranged for the lady to brush my hair with my favorite hair brush too. i love that...he is soooo thoughtful. after my massage i was given another card. this one read something like i hope you are enjoying your time of refreshing, i hope you like who i have for you next. now the word "who" stuck out a bit simply because dirk is very deliberate and eloquent when he rights. however, when no one but the pedicurist (is that a word) showed up next, the thought left my brain.

but half way through my pedicure, in walks oh so nonchalantly my bestest friend of all time from college!!!! we had not seen each other in 10 years!!! we lost touch for many of them and over the last 3 months or so we have really really reconnected. God has always been so gracious and creative with Carmen and I in that no matter where we are in life He allows us to always be going through very similar life circumstances so we are always able to stay connected. so, in she walked, freaked me out, and we spent the rest of the night being pampered, eating out, and just reconnecting (hummm...just like my card said).

the weekend progressed with she and her family stayign with us and we ate a lot, had 2 cookouts and a birthday party to boot!! with a card...AND a cake i might add!!! it was one of the best weekends i have had in many many years!!!

Carmen and Sarah...

My dad came up too for the weekend. little did i know every single person knew about this but me. dirk is sooo good at keeping surprises! it was really great to feel so loved. he also got me two amazing presents!!

Soccer Camp...

Some wonderful people in town set up a soccer camp for homeschoolers last month. it was soooo great! the kids had a wonderful time. plus i got 3 hours every single morning to sit with other moms and just be, learn, discuss and laugh. it was fun. even kenna did not peeter out. they really had fun.

the last day was a water fight day. but they weren't too wet for a group photo.

Daddy's boys...

i just love this pic of dirk and two of our boys. Elias and Isaiah, they were just spontaneously snuggling with daddy one morning. Here is a man that sure loves his babies. he is one of those that wants to be home all day long and just play with them all day. i sure wish he could! What a dad!!!

Playdate...

When my sister-in-law was here we had a playdate with alex too. the three kids are within 3 months of each other and totally different personalities so it is fun. You can so tell Elias has siblings in so many ways. it was fun....

Elias, Alex, and Luke

Vivaldi's Always Good...

the other day i was putting isaiah to bed and asked him what he wanted to listen to as he went to bed. he though for a long time and replied, "Vivaldi, mom...vivaldi's always good!"

well i posted that on facebook that night and the next week a friend came to visit and said that she got something in the mail. she had no idea why in the world they would get a coloring book in the mail seeing they have no kids at home anymore. but her husband said he was so impressed with Isaiah's comment that he ordered a composers coloring book. it was great to see Isaiah put faces to the names he listens to every day!!! what great friends we have...

little Fish!...

The kids are soooo happy in the water these days!! isaiah can hold his breath so stinkin long that it amazes me. here he is challenging his 10 year old friend to a match! as you can see...isaiah won!

Elias loves the water. he had no trouble joining in. he had just started walking that week so he was a little shakey, but hung in there with the best of them.


Bella, Makenna, and Ian

My girls really loving each other at this moment...notice i say at this moment..it did not last long.