Reward Trip

Micah went on 3 different trains.

Caleb is driving this car.

Carlie got a chance to drive too. (She did rear end Caleb!)


The Mild Thing

Could she be any more excited?

Each year we try to do something fun to mark the end of another successful year of homeschooling. We all deserve it. (Especially me!) This year we decided to tackle Valleyfair. It was a fun day with weather a little on the cool side. That suited us just fine as we didn't need to fight people for a shady spot or constantly stand in line for a cool drink (which turns into standing in line at the bathroom).

Even a fun day turned into a learning day for our family. Here are a few things we learned.

1. Caleb's face turns a pasty shade of white when he goes on a roller coaster.

2. The train in the kid area goes out of the protective view out of the parents.

3. Micah doesn't mind being out of my eyesight, all alone on the train.

4. The rest of the family is not too happy when Micah is out of our eyesight, by himself.

5. The "responsible person" who needs to accompany the smaller kids on rides has to do the same rides over and over again. And that person was me, as I am the only adult who can handle the spinning.

6. The Scrambler is not as much fun the third time.

7. I don't like spinning as much as I used to.

8. People should use the bathroom before going on a roller coaster for the first time. You know who you are.

9. Ellie is fearless and will go on any ride...if she is tall enough.

10. Glory is even more fearless and went on rides that only Ellie would try.

11. Ice cream at Valleyfair costs as much as a meal at McDonald's for the whole family.

12. When you have six kids it is always a smart idea to have extra people along to help. (Thank you, Mom and Dad, for coming with at the last minute.)

13. Don't ever count on tired kids falling asleep on the drive home. (Glory and Micah talked and laughed the whole way.)

Caleb's 10th Birthday

Okay. This post has been sitting, waiting to be published since Caleb's birthday. I haven't been able to do what I want with the pics on blogger for some reason, but here they are!

Caleb celebrated his tenth birthday with a campout with his closest buds. (These buds happen to be his cousins, too!)

Jordan, Cody, Jamison (in the back), Curtis and Caleb

Can I just say that boy parties are SO MUCH EASIER than girl parties?? No leaving anybody out or complaining or whining. (Okay, okay...there were a few tears out of the little guys, but they didn't last long.)

Play Time

He just can't get enough of his trucks, cars, planes and trains!

Brace Face!

Braces are on! Let the fun begin.

No gum. No corn on the cob. No sticky things. No crunchy things. Brushing, flossing, rinsing...over and over again.

But it will all be worth it.

2 years from now.

Taylor's Falls Day Trip

Catch-Up

Summer vacation is in full-swing at our house and has already been over-the-top busy!

*Finished school a couple of weeks ago. Carlie and Caleb will complete their standardized tests today.

*The garden is in and growing. Herbs and flowers are planted. Now we just need some rain.

*The new septic/drain field will be finished up today. (Pictures later...what a mess our yard is!)

*Caleb turned 10!

*Did a Mother's Day trip to Taylor's Falls. So much fun. And it was great not to have to try to push Micah in a stroller.

*Spring cleaning. And cleaning. And cleaning.

*I have been sorting through homeschool stuff. And sorting. And sorting.

*Ordering curriculum for next year. (It is a vicious cycle that never ends!)


There you have it. A very short summary of what has been shakin' around here.

What We've Been Up To

We are in the last days of our official school year and things are crazy-busy around here. Add onto the demands of school a long list of to-do's and you can understand why I haven't been blogging. Wedding plans (for my brother and his fiance), spring cleaning and organizing, beautiful weather to enjoy, a septic system that needs replacing, standardized testing for school, the list goes on and on and on and on. Here is a little photo update to catch you up!

Micah has begun to give me the silent treatment when he is mad.


Lots of swingset time.

Climbing trees.

A yard that has a bunch of holes to get ready for a new drain field.

More tree climbing.



Rhubarb is almost ready to pick!

Trees and shrubs are budding and blooming.


Bike riding.

Look At That Gal!!

Maggie-"Mom, I need a gal."
Me- "What are you talking about?"
Maggie- "You know, a gal of milk?"

Maggie has been working with measures of capacity. Yesterday I whipped out a quart jar, a gallon of milk, a dry measuring cup, and a 2 liter pop bottle to compare English measures with the metric system. I guess I have never heard any of my other kids refer to the measurements by their abbreviations!

Caught on Camera

Cookie Monster

Glory's Birthday

Glory turned four on Monday. I love making my kids feel special for their whole birthday by making them special meals throughout the day, letting them take the day off school, and that sort of thing. But I was still really sick and the day didn't go according to plan. After my doctor appointment we did manage to grab some pizzas and a store-bought cake to have a short, but memorable, celebration.

Baking Day

I was sick over the weekend so Aaron took over for me. He did a great job with the kids, but the big surprise was when he decided to whip up a batch of cookies. (In almost fourteen years of marriage, I have never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever seen him bake anything. He doesn't cook, either.) I had to drag my sick self out of bed to document what may very well be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Glory Update

Glory has had a heart murmur since she was an infant. Her doctor has monitored it carefully, but decided it was time to bring in the opinion of a specialist. Yesterday we headed to see Dr. Chip, a pediatric cardiologist. I am very thankful to report that her very loud murmur is completely fine and she doesn't need anything else done!!! So now we know and don't have to be concerned about it anymore.

After the doctor visit we headed to the mall and got her ears pierced. "Diamond" earrings to celebrate her 4th birthday a week early.

Easter 2009

This is the first Easter that I did not get a picture of the kids in their Easter outfits!! I cannot believe that I missed that opportunity. Not only did I miss out on the annual family Easter picture, I had a hard time catching kids in action during the Easter egg hunt.

Maggie was the big winner of the most money found in eggs. She came out of the day $10.05 richer.

Glory and her good friend, Tirzah. They were checking out what was inside their eggs.

280 eggs + 16 crazy kids = very few good pictures, but a lot of fun

Belt, Anyone?

Micah seems to have a caught a condition that I like to call "Toddler Butt". I am hoping that this is a temporary thing that he will outgrow. (But Dr. H. tells me that he is still only 5th percentile for height.) If he is this saggy with a diaper, I can only imagine what will happen when he graduates to big boy undies.

New Arrival

Update: They changed the name to Ellis, which was the original name they were thinking of.

I just got back from the hospital. My brother, Casey and his wife, Christine welcomed their third child into the world. A baby boy. William Anthony. He came about three weeks early, as he wasn't due until the beginning of May. I am so thankful for another baby in the bunch to love on!

William Anthony

6 pounds

20 inches

Rochester Highlights

Here are some pictures from our Rochester trip. We love hanging out with Anna and Kelly and it was fun to spend the night and squeeze more action into the trip. We went bowling, went to a beautiful nature center, and played games.

Anna, 18 weeks pregnant with their baby girl. I couldn't keep my eyes or hands away from her beautiful belly. I think she might have been the highlight of my trip. My ovaries are aching.

Cute tummy.

Okay, Micah is pretty cute too. He loved running around at the nature center.

A rare family photo.

The huge fish tank at the nature center. Kelly bought minnows to feed the fish. One of the fish almost got a bite of Caleb.

Maggie is always posing. Even while bowling.

Glory is learning how to set up a bowling game.

Glory pointed her hands straight out until her ball hit the pins.