the photo shoot

I was packing up the last few things when I decided to throw in white T's, you know, just in case they volunteered to pose for me some time while we were gone. Ha! Ha!

I did the same thing when we went to Florida this spring. (Come to think of it, I might do it every time I pack suitcases for any length of time.) But they didn't get used then. That makes it far more urgent this time right?

I tried to break it to the hubs gently and make it as painless as possible. I'm not sure if my attempts were successful or not.

I have this picture from our trip to Florida in 2010 enlarged and framed in my living room. I love it but I thought maybe it was time for an update. Perhaps one that includes ALL of my offspring.

I was afraid we'd run out of sunlight before we collected enough of cooperation but I  wish we had waited another 20 minutes and avoided all the shadow-y-ness. About the time we gave up and the camera batteries were on there last leg the lighting was so much better. Oh well.

We had some of this....

The real bunch. Unedited!

 And this....

We decided maybe individual shots was a better idea....

 

Somebody had the grand idea to pose with Mommy....everyone else needed a turn too...

For the record, I am still taller!

I was pleased to get one good shot of the two of us. My junior photographers are not usually patient enough to mess with luxuries like focusing and such.

 

  We eventually got one or two (kind of) workable shots.

But the truth is, they're an awful lot easier to capture from the back...

(Something about that rings a bell from our last crazy attempt.)

But aren't they sweet?

F.i.n.a.l.l.y. Mom set us free and we can run....

References to 'Sweet Frog' [our latest treat of choice. a dozen plus flavors of frozen yogurt. 357 give or take a few, toppings. Yummy!] may or may not have been made frequently during the photography portion of the evening to encourage good behavior and cooperation.

But for real, everybody knows that if Mom is hungry for Sweet Frog on vacation....

family vacation

We took a few days off to relax with the family last week. I think this might have been our first solo trip, just us and our not so little family. We've gone on plenty of excursions but they usually involve friends and/or family. This one probably would have been the same if we had planned ahead far enough to find someone that it suited to join us. But we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves the way it turned out.

We spent most of our time soaking up the sun and digging in the sand, with an occasional game of "chicken" with the waves rolling in. We dug holes, big holes, refilled buckets with water, washed off sandy hands, distributed snacks, washed off sandy hands, rescued washed up jelly fish, slathered lotion, collected treasures, washed off sandy hands.....

Kite Flying Fun

  There was no agenda, no schedule, and it was grand! I tried to plan simple meals that we could throw on the grill so that it was a vacation for me too. It often seems like vacation is when Mom works twice as hard so everyone else can have fun but I really tried to avoid that this time.  I think it worked at least some of the time. We're getting to a stage where everyone can help too, that sure makes a difference.
The last time our family was at the beach at least one or two of the people had to be carried as well as all the gear. Daddy ended up making two trips back and forth to the van to get everything unloaded and reloaded. This year, we arrived at the beach and divvied out the gear. Even the little girl could help carry sand toys. As we headed toward the boardwalk the first day Garry looked at me and said, "is this all that's left for me to carry?" I've noticed it over and over this summer, we are suddenly in a different stage then we had been for the past 12 years. It's bittersweet this "everybody's independent" stuff but for the purposes of relaxing vacation it leans more heavily to the sweet side.

These two thought they were way cool to be taking off around the neighborhood on bikes. For those of us with issues keeping 2 wheeled objects balanced there was plenty of puzzles, books, coloring, games etc. to fill our "had enough sun" hours. It's funny how simple things, like coloring, are just so much more exciting when Mom and Dad join in. We taught the kids how to play Dutch Blitz (youth group flashback alert!) and Scrabble. One boy even said, "I don't know if I wanna have a movie night if we can play games instead." Music to my Mama ears! Another sign that times are changing, we're moving on from games of chance and color to games that the adults actually enjoy (rather than endure.) There is NO bitter in that, it's all SWEET!

It was a lovely few days of just being with my sun kissed babies! (Shh! don't tell them I called 'em that.) Of course our family vacations are never complete without a photo shoot attempt, but this post is long enough and has taken me way to long already so we'll save that for next time...

summer-y things

first month of summer vacation is almost gone. already! that was quick.

a couple of weeks ago the big boy and his dad took a weekend mission trip to do storm cleanup in New York City. kinda (just a mite bit) proud of the boy for workin' so hard to help out strangers. but I have made an executive decision. next time he asks to help clean up a natural disaster, I'm sending the boy to his ROOM.

3+ hours and a 50 gallon trash can full later...it's lookin' pretty good in there. thanks Mom! {I was a little worried that he'd be upset when he discovered how much stuff I got rid of but those were his exact words...thanks Mom, you're the best! I'll take it!!}

my feeble but generally successful attempt at making life fun while Daddy and big bro were gone. sleepover in the living room.

a couple of fun days makin' a splash in the pool.

 goggles are a must. for fashion purposes of course, even if one has NO intentions of putting their head under water.

 

somebody was way too brave about this water stuff. really girly, lets pretend you're still my baby for a couple more weeks years.

we even got to take Daddy along for one afternoon. everything is more fun when Daddy comes too!

grill season is in full swing and I am loving it. a little fresh basil from the  back yard doesn't hurt either.

and just to remind me that simpler really is better. and in keeping with our super cool sandwich theme, it's make your own peanut butter sandwich day. more exciting than you know folks!

gettin' our [little bit o] patriotic on. fireworks. sparklers. friends. glow sticks.

good times!

happy 4th to you and yours!

we'll be spending ours at home as a fam. a little relaxin'. a little grillin'. 

a lot of good memories!

You?

What I Love about Essential Oils

At the risk of sounding like I've gone completely crazy over this stuff, (I may have, I'll let you jump to your own conclusions) it's another Essential Oils post. This time, a few of my favorite things about EO's. Numbers 2-10 are not in any particular order. I don't mean to be annoying, I just feel like I've found a valuable secret and I can't help but pass it on. And so, without further ado....

at the park with the kids. they play. i read. we're all happy.

10 things I Love about EO's.

10. They are 100% natural. No synthetics, no harmful chemicals, no side effects.  [That is if you buy them from a reputable company. There are no standards in the U.S. for the production and sales of EO's. In other words, companies can write whatever they please on the bottle whether it's true or not, nobody is regulating that. 80% of the oils on the market are perfume grade, these are not going to work therapeutically. Do your homework. Know what you are getting! end of lecture.]

9. They are easy to use. Most of them (if not all) are used topically. There are other ways too, but rubbing a bit on the skin is so much easier for me than gagging down a horse pill or squirting nasty tasting stuff down the kid's throats.

8. They are handy. I can order whatever I want, whenever I want it. I keep my little supply stocked up so that when someone starts to get sick I can attack it early. I used to dread those first signs of coughing/runny noses in my kids. Can't say I look forward to them now but I don't live in that constant state of wondering whether they'll be able to kick this on their own or if this will be the time we end up in the Dr.'s office. I've never been one to run to the Dr. over every little thing. My Doc told me himself it's always better to let the kids fight off as much as then can on their own. But things changed when my kids started school. If the child is out for 3 days the school requires a Dr.'s note to return. My Dr. is a really nice guy but he hasn't taken to writing notes for kids he hasn't seen yet. So I'd have to take them in, and he'd give me a prescription, "just in case." Which brings up the next issue, antibiotics that don't work anymore because they've been overused.

7. They are "smarter" than the bugs. Since the growing conditions etc. are never exactly the same for the plants that the oils are made from, the oils themselves vary slightly. Mass produced pharmaceuticals are always exactly the same, which is why the bacteria/viruses get 'smart' to them after awhile and they no longer work. Not a problem with EO's.

6. You can't overdose. Okay, don't take that as a challenge, folks. Common sense is still the lead player here. But I don't have to be forever counting doses, and remembering what time I gave who, what. This is great news for a Mom of 5! I use them as needed. I make adjustments I till I find what works for me/us. I don't panic if I realize to late that I grabbed the wrong bottle. I've even used them on kids who thought they were gonna need hospitalization for a minor scratch, or so it seemed. Just like a band-aid makes it feel better even when it's not bleeding, a little EO solves a multitude of issues that don't even exist. :) But I don't feel bad giving it to them because I know it's not hurting them a bit.

5. They are economical. So when you first hear the price of a small bottle, it may sound like a lot, but a little goes a long way.  I purchased an EO in February to treat my high blood pressure. Prices vary greatly for different oils but that particular oil was about $40. I use it twice every day and I doubt if the bottle is more than half empty yet. (Okay, so just cause I'm weird like that, I went up and checked, it's almost exactly half full.) At this rate that bottle will last me 7- 8 months. I was paying $30 something a month for my prescriptions. Do the math. And that doesn't count the fact that I had to pay a Dr. to write that script and then run somewhere to pick it up every month.

4. They are versatile. One oil does MANY things. I think Lavender get the prize for most uses. It's great for promoting relaxation and sleep. It's good for burns, bug bites, rashes and cuts. I've heard it works for allergies and eczema and a host of other things. (See #6. If you can use Lavender in place of tylenolPM, cortizone cream, Neosporin, Zyrtec and Benedryl, which do you suppose is cheaper to keep on hand.)

3. They don't expire. If stored properly, out of direct light and heat, they will stay potent and useful. (See #6, AGAIN. :) How many times have you thrown out a half a bottle of tylenol because it was too long in between teething episodes or illnesses?

2. They don't just fight the "bad guys" they also rejuvenate the "good guys." So, if by chance you bought a bottle of EO to treat a specific issue and that oil didn't work for that issue in your body (everybody is different.) You've not done yourself any harm (see #1) or wasted your money, your body is still likely benefiting from the oil.

And my favorite thing about EO's....

1. God made them, for ME. It's just so neat for me to think about that. The God who made our incredibly complex bodies also made a whole range of (almost as complex) plants and he made them to work together. There are hundreds of different kinds of EO's and I have yet to try and research an issue that doesn't come up with an answer. Yup, there is an app oil for that! EO's have been around since Bible times. They are mentioned 180+ times in the Bible. My question for you is, "What do you suppose Sarah did when little Isaac was teething and spiked a fever?" Somehow I tend to just assume maybe things were different back then, maybe they didn't get sick like us. Maybe so, sort of, but they were human and I don't think they were so very different than we are. And I don't mean to answer my own question here, but I'm gonna take a shot that she didn't pick something up at the CVS on the corner. Let me know if you're interested in trading your trips to CVS in for some God given gifts. I'd love to help you figure out how to make them work for you!

Another one of God's gifts!

** I feel like I should probably remind you here that I am NOT a doctor. I'm not even an EO expert, not even close. And nobody is paying me to tell you this stuff. It's just that seeing is believing and I am definitely seeing results that I like.

Worth Celebrating

A Daddy who is faithful and committed to our Mommy is worth celebrating.

A Daddy who works hard and then willing hands over the pay checks to be drained into the grocery store (among other things) is worth celebrating.

Father's Day Breakfast feast.

A Daddy who can accommodate 4 sleepy kiddos with snuggle time at once is worth celebrating.

A Daddy who sacrifices his weekend to serve strangers and make a boy's dream possible is worth celebrating.

A Daddy who loves you just the way you are is worth celebrating.

A Daddy who patiently takes his boys along to work with him is worth celebrating.

A Daddy who reads bedtime stories and shares his Father's Day chocolates is worth celebrating.

A Daddy who teaches his boys how to be a man is worth celebrating.

A Daddy who can find a smile in the grumpiest of girlies is worth celebrating.

A Daddy who puts up with a $5 yard sale TV
 (an *ahem* upgrade from the original 12 year old, 19 inch)
with terrible reception for years (and therefore misses many of his favorite games)
is worth a trip to h.h.gregg.

His name is Garry but we call him 'Daddy'

and he is definitely worth 

CELEBRATING!

Happy {belated} Father's Day!
the celebration wasn't late, only the posting thereof

Summer Vacation Begins

School is over. Summer is officially here (well, in an unofficial kind of way) and we are lovin' it. I love the less scheduled days. I love the gorgeous weather we've been having and I love the long days with lots of time for little people to work their creativity.

Celebrating the end of school with ice cream at the best little shop around!

Fun at Farm Days.

 

Lazy mornings in pj's. Hours upon hours of Adventures in Odessey and paper with markers.

Picnic lunches and the thrill of simple cheese sandwiches turned super cool with the help of my trusty waffle iron.

Back out on the porch for an evening of coffee and brownies and reading 

(all. the. time. the boy never stops reading!)

And the presence of summer time beauty on my kitchen table. 

What's not to Love?

This week we're off to VBS. 

Hope your summer is off to a Fantastic start as well!

Mr. Putter

We have reached the part of the school year where we are simply putting in time. The lesson plans are done, the tests taken and now it's all about extra recess and year book signing until we get our number of days in.

One of the ways they fill in at the elementary school is "Storybook Character Dress Up" day. I'm not a big fan of costumes, especially not ones that cost a fortune or take a week to make yourself but if it's important to my kids I try not to spoil all the fun. My kind of costumes require a $5 thrift store purchase and a little face paint.

Meet Mr. Putter.

 

If you're not familiar with Mr. Putter, he's an old man who lives alone with his cat and together they have all kinds of adventures in easy reader books. Zachary has read lots of them this year and it just seemed like a perfect match. There were no stuffed cats to me found at the thrift store but he pulled it off well anyway.

What do you think? Do you see the similarities?

The kindergarteners made their own costumes in class.

The ants go marching one by one, Hurrah, Hurrah! The ants go marching one by one....

Meanwhile, back on the funny farm, this was my project for the day. It was a perfect day to be in the berry patch and they are gorgeous and tasty this year! 28 lbs. in an hour. I would have kept going but I didn't take enough buckets.

 

Our evening treat, fresh strawberry milkshake. Mmm! 

I served these to the kids on the porch after dinner. 3 of the 4 cups made it to the table without incident, the fourth one slipped out of my hands and spilled all over the floor. No big deal, it's outside, right? I took a couple of buckets of warm water to rinse it away. But the 3rd bucket full was just too much for my old bucket handle and it snapped off just before I got out the kitchen door. Now I have milkshake on the porch, a gallon (plus) of water on the kitchen floor and a child who still didn't get dessert. While I'm grabbing every handy rag and towel, there is a moaning sound from the porch. Somebody spilled their cup, all over themselves and the bench beside them. I finally get him cleaned up and the floor dry, thinking "well, at least my kitchen floor is clean now" and that's when a small boy with dirty feet walks through the puddles on the porch and into the kitchen. Goodbye clean floor. By now what was spilled on the porch is starting to cement fast. I'm filling another container to wash the rest of the porch and the bench when I hear the neighbor lady walking up. Why of course, this is a great time to chat. HA!

No reason to cry over spilled milk{shake} here but I think we'll stick with strawberry shortcake after this. And my milkshake?  It made a great bedtime snack, when I finally had time to drink it! Hope you enjoyed this episode of "Why I never get Bored."

And since Mr. Putter still has 2 more days of time to do, he'll be up before 6 in the morning. I best be off to catch some sleep too before then, I'm kinda tired for some reason.