More pics...

Kids after the girls' dance recital...
Girls with their bouquets

My little bunny!

Kira singing at Spring Fest

Kira & Ellie at Spring Fest

I-I-I-I'm Ba-a-a-ack!

Hello friends! It really has been awhile and life just keeps us going! Wyat is now crawling, eating and communicating in his own way- not sleeping though (some things never change). Sara is done with her first year of preschool, doing her first dance recital and just overall entertaining and lovable. Cody has graduated Kindergarten and is now officially a 1st grader- a smart one too! It is nice to have him home now and he is adapting to less structure. Jacob is thrilled that school is over and is loving the decrease of demands and increase of movies and outdoor time. He is handsome as ever! Kira is busy, busy, busy and has to ask me for her schedule if she wants a playdate- CRAZY! She is preparing for her National competition in Branson, rehearsing for Kids Caring for Cancer benefit show, doing dance recital, performing in community shows that she is independently doing, preparing for her Muny rehearsals to kick in, helping out at our church VBS and being a kid. She is excited to return to school next year in 5th grade!

Ron is busy as ever keeping up with our rentals, keeping the laundromat working for his mom to run, running the thrift store and doing construction- not to mention, the Boy Scouts' activities now that he is Cubmaster. Me? I just try to keep up with it all! Once in awhile I actually make it to one of my ladies' bible study nights- but that's about it for me! I don't think that I can name all of the hats, from marketing person for the store, laundromat or Kira to house chef (which I don't do well). Life is good. I am looking forward to the events this summer and pray that all runs smoothly and we can have a memorable summer. I can see more changes around the corner!

Doesn't he look like trouble?
On the move!

Sara doing Bunnytown Hop! (The one who lost her ears) Too cute!

Kira in "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head"

Closer up is better!

I need to get pics of the boys...I will be back sooner than later!

Too long...

Boy, does time fly! We have just been non-stop and, then, with a baby that is up every hour-and-a-half to two hours at night. I just can't handle lack of sleep like I used to...aaah, to be a college student again. Actually, one time was enough. I had a lot of fun, mostly bad-for-me-fun, and now I just love having good fun with the kids. Hence, the busy. Not to mention, keeping up with our house, the rentals, the laundromat and, now, the thrift store. Did I say thrift store? YUP! Ron & I, along with the endless dedication from his mom and the wonderful friends that God has blessed us with, are opening The Junk Drawer Thrift Store on Friday! We are excited to start another business and hope that we will be able to give back to the community through it. How we are going to manage ANOTHER time zapper, I am not sure. As if 5 kids are not enough with all of their interests....Which leads me to...Kira. She auditioned for The Muny, which is a place in St Louis that does plays. About 500 kids auditioned that day, and she made it! I couldn't believe it! And when they called to let her know that they had chosen her, she jumped up and down, screamed, and burst into tears...and kept doing that for the next hour or so. It was so cool. The problem now is that her play "Beauty and The Beast" (we don't know what she is going to be doing yet) runs through June 30 and we have to be in CA for a family reunion on July 3rd! And we are driving! Ron will NOT fly. Sooo, that should be fun. Well, all the kids are finally down for the count, even the hubby, and I am going to follow. Hope you enjoyed my little blabbering session....God bless!

A Few Firsts

Wyat grabbed an apple wedge out of my hand and immediately

stuck it in his mouth! He then just kept scraping it with his teeth..
Kira and her friend made cookies all by themselves...
if only they could clean up as well!

I made banana bread for the first time EVER! It sure smells good...

Good nite!

January News and Pics

We had a few snow days and COLD. The kids love

jumping on the trampoline in the snow!
We attended the Boy Sout Pinewood Derby where Jacob came
in 3rd place in the Wolves Den.

Wyat is now 6 months old and is sitting independently
and playing for a time and occasionally eating cereal-
when he is not spitting it all out with his new sound.
He also has sprouted his two middle bottom teeth- ouch!

On New Year's Day the kids were doing costume contests-
always entertaining. Yes, we have an extra in out group,
that is not unusual. I have two extras possibly sleeping upstairs
right now?

It's movie nite and guess who was the first to crash?
Yes, they are really asleep- ALL of them.

Christmas Pics- Only a month late!

"Silent Night...I don't think so!"
Christmas morning- what a pile!

Christmas eve with more family

Decorating the tree

Kira's 9th Birthday- Dec. 11th

The Party Girlz
What a face, eh?

My girl- a fashion statement

Chow time- who says girls don't eat?

Thanksgiving Pics

Could our little man's eyes be any brighter?
Grandma and Sara sharing some lovin'.

All family pic- not too bad, eh?

Everyone loves Aunt Chava!

Kira and Jacob dressed for our Unit celebration on a classic Model T.

Finally!!!

I will start with words and add pics later...yes, it has been a while and big days have happened...Thanksgiving, Kira's 9th birthday, Christmas and New Years's. And, of course, all of these were Wyat's firsts. Every week is something new and exciting with him- laughter, sounds, rolling, sitting, not sleeping- okay, not all great stuff.

Almost all of my family came for Thanksgiving and then Ron's parents and one of his sisters and her son. It was great. Good food and lots of fun. My sister's son is Sara's age and just loved being here with all of our brood. Sara followed my sister around cuz she is wonderful AND has a mostly empty lap. My brother-in-law loves to rough house and play with the kids so they loved that. My other sister is also wonderful with the kids and Kira, especially enjoyed her company. Abrey just kept trying to get them to sit on his lap and let them give him rides (in his wheelchair)! My dad loved playing swords and whatever with the boys and having conversations ranging from Pokemon to religion while pushing trains around on the floor. My mom, of course, just wanted all of the loving she could get. It was a great weekend.

Kira's birthday was December 11 and decided to have 7 girls sleep over and watch a Harry Potter movie that was being shown at the library. The movie proved not to be too intriguing to a handful of 9 & 10 year olds and we returned early to eat ice cream and play games. All of the girls got along and managed to stay all nite. Kira said that she has a lot of fun but will probably not invite so many girls next year- she likes it a little more mellow. I had a lot of fun! Sometimes she seems too mature to be only 9 and other times I am relieved to still see the little girl that I want to hold onto. I can see glimmers of a beautiful young lady that will be confident and strong and smart and witty- but I want to wait for that young lady and enjoy my little girl for now, as long as I can.

Next came a short but very nice visit from my childhood friend Mali and her 4 year old son. I love that she so obviously loves my kids and so does her son. My kids have fun with her and enjoy her different styles and perspectives. We always have something to discuss after Mali has visited! What is that saying? Something about doing well if you have one person to call a good friend...I am blessed to have Mali and more!

Then of course, Christmas! We spent Christmas eve at Ron's parents' house with his two sisters and their kids. We ate and opened presents so they could have just a little taste of what was to come. THen it was home to get the kids to bed so that Ron and I could finish wrapping the presents and get them under the tree. I enjoy this more than Ron but I do not let him get out of it! Every year we have to get creative with hanging the stockings- last year we used fishing line and this year a broom balanced across furniture. The kids don't care as long as they can reach it!
The boys got up first and were wonderfully quiet while they inspected their "Santa" gifts and stockings, then they decided that it was time to wake everyone else. (Of course, I had spent most of the nite awake with Wyat and Sara and Ron was trying to sleep on the couch with Wyat at this point. I finally decided that it was his turn). Anyway, we said our prayer of thanks and dug in! The kids were delightful as they enjoyed each gift (some more than others) until they were gone. It is amazing how quickly the mound of gifts disappear!

In the midst of everything we continued school and Kira had many performances. Those were very fun but also exhausting. Maybe sometime we will post her performance of "I want a hippopatomus for Christmas" or "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus." It was a very fun show.

New years was fairly low key with just one other family coming over with their son and one Jacob's friend here. We started toasting with sparkling grape juice at 7 pm and did every hour until midnite as some faded away. It was a nice beginning to a new year.

So, this is not the most exciting or humorous entry, just happenings, I have been too tired stay up to maintain this blog with Wyat not sleeping and Kira's night shows. Hopefully I will be more consistent. Thanks for checking in! Don't forget to thank God for all of the little and big blessings in your life!