8.

kaycee agnes turned 8 today.

(i was up past midnight last night, cleaning up from a family dinner we hosted, so i hung some balloons in kaycee's doorway. i also blew up a bunch and scattered them on her bedroom floor. it was so cute. as i was hanging these up,
kaycee woke up, looked at her floor covered in balloons, as i dodged out of view, she smiled, and closed her eyes again, and went back to sleep. it was such a precious sight. :)   ) made the extra effort on my part, worth every minute...

she is a delight.

a very sensitive ray of sunshine in our family.

she loves to read. she loves her american girl dolls.

she is a caring, nurturing sister (most of the time).

enjoys playing school, and dolls, and house with her sisters A LOT.

she usually does not question me, when i ask her to do something.

it gets done. (except piano practicing). :)

learning has come easy for her thus far. she excels in school.

she is shy and quiet and keeps to herself in social situations.

we are working on that, but is much, much like her mommy was at this age. :)

she loves to sew, and do crafts, and color and paint.

she is very gifted in drawing and painting and such.

here's a glimpse of kaycee agnes.

we enjoyed having mam-maw and pap-paw Buckwalter here for lunch.

we hosted the extended Buckwalter family Christmas last night.

i think there was 42 people here.

chaos. check.

fun. check.

memories. check.

all that to say we had some leftovers to share for kaycee's big day...

*winter wonderland*

we are not big amusement park people.

we don't take our kids to dutch wonderland *much*
(unless we use our library free tickets from summer reading...)
nor have they ever been to hershey park (unless they were invited by friends)...

so back in november when i got free tickets to dutch wonderland for

their winter wonderland, we were all pretty excited...minus matt, i mean. :)

we used our free tickets on friday night.

it was really cold. but fun.

calli was freezing.

you see. she "forgot" her coat. and well.

i asked kaycee to make sure everyone

a) went potty. check.

b) had hats. check.

c) had gloves. check.

and d) had coats. apparently NO CHECK.

you all wonder how i do everything.

MY FOUR YEAR OLD DID NOT WEAR A COAT IN THIRTY DEGREE WEATHER TO RIDE
RIDES AND LOOK AT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS OUTSIDE.

mother of the year award for 2012.

check. i got it covered.
  :)

i felt awful and she was shivering. so we didn't stay long.

we went and ate at applebee's instead.
will go back to doing my kids coat checks again, no worries.
just trying to skip out on a job. :)

O Come, Emmanuel.

in case you got swallowed up by Santa :)

or lost sight of the real reason we celebreate Christmas in the first place...



the Christmas story has become more intriguing to me since i became a mommy.

the amazement of it all is overwhelming to me at times.

may you find ~joy and peace~ as we continue to celebrate the birth of our Savior

 and reflect on another year gone by in what seems like a blink of an eye to me...

savor and enjoy.

Christmas fun has started...

Christmas fun has started a few weekends ago already...

i have a million things to do today.

including catch a mouse thats keeping me up at night.

eeekkkk.

last night i slept in kaden's bed.

have you slept in your 9 year old's bed recently?

it's not a great night's sleep. let's say that. :)

(i am simply terrified of mice. that is all i can say)

so. i won't post a lot.

but here is a great picture of Matt's family from our celebration yesterday.

Merry Christmas!!

double trouble.

my sister is having surgery on a hernia today.

so we get to have piper and reese here for the day.

 running from Christmas parties at school to home having fun wrecking the house.

what could  be more fun??

now. what to make for lunch. :)

*in praise of large families*

hey. and i think we qualify. :)

matt and i have a friend. and he has a friend who is not from this area.

i guess she questioned or wondered whether people from "this area" (i assume that means lancaster county)
 know "how to control having children."

my friend. he mentioned this to us. not once. but twice.

(i think the second time was by accident, but still...)
he is from a big family himself, and i think he kind of laughed off the comment to us...

but each time i was really bothered by his comment.

i don't know what i even said, but i was irritated both times at the end of the evening.

i am currently painting our mudroom. currently as in right now this minute.

and this broadcast came over the radio.

now. as i type.

and it is good enough to pass on.

so. if you wonder why there are large families out there.

you should listen to it.

it will give you insight.

it kind of made me feel like "that-a-girl".
i need that sometimes.
(who am i kidding? i need that all the time.) ha.
i feel like having 5 children gets me beaten up in this world a good bit.
people are critical. and harsh.
and i can't say in general that people are supportive of our large family.
anyway. enough of my insecurities and wanting to please the world.

you can find it here.

now that that's off my chest, i will return to painting. :)

a heavy heart.

i struggle to find the words to write after such a heart wrenching tragedy in Connecticut.

i just cannot shake it from my mind.

my heart breaks for those families who lost someone so tragically that day.

the tears keep falling from my eyes.

i do not have any words.

except.

that i am so so sorry.

i keep thinking of my own precious 5 miracles.
(and yes, we had 5 on purpose...some think we lacked some judgement or acted in error.
we did not. each of our children were planned and very much wanted.)

how blessed and lucky i am.

amidst fighting and chaos saturday morning, i kept repeating to myself,

"you are so blessed. you are so lucky."

 i was actually grateful to be able to hear squabbles that day.

i picked up a jacket that was left on the floor, without asking someone to come do it themselves.

i held laundry a little bit longer as i folded it against my heart.

i looked at their faces more intently. and lingered in their rooms a little longer that night.

i selfishly pray i will never have to bear the heartbreak of losing a child.

oh to find air to breathe.

i cannot imagine.

so i continue to whisper prayers. for the people of Sandy Hook.

for all of us. who are not promised tomorrow.

to savor and enjoy what we have today.

even if it includes some Christmas stress with too much to do in too little time,

and whining ungrateful children.

(not mine of course!)  :)

here's to playing peek-a-boo at lunchtime and ending with a thumbs up to lunch.

p.s. you will notice karolina's bandage.
she burnt her hand on the woodstove last night.
all. my. fault. but i won't bore you with the story...
a bit traumatic, but she is much more herself today.
her hand doesn't look so good. but we are praying for healing without infection.
please join us?


 

poor deer.

so the welcome end to buck season has come to pennsylvania.

:)

[i don't mind that matt hunts, but i am not a big venison lover, so...i am never disappointed if he
doesn't fill the freezer with venison, especially since it is always filled with our high
quality, home grown beef and organic chicken. :)  ]

kaden has been rising *early* to hunt with matt for the past couple weeks.

i mean at 5 a.m. getting us up and at 'em.
(who am i kidding. i roll over, and go back to sleep most mornings.)

matt has been very patient with him in the woods.

kaden does not usually sit still, unless he is watching t.v.

i wish i could somehow see them out there in the dark, waiting for the *big one* to walk by.

matt was hunting with another matt friday, and they both got deer.

this is no surprise, as how we were hosting our sunday school christmas party at 6 p.m.
and in drove these 2 guys at 6 p.m. :)
i am learning not to get uptight.
i do this entertaining thing on my own. up until the.very.last.minute.
and then matt contributes in mighty ways. :)

my matt was being a bit "choosey" all season...waiting for a big, beautiful buck.
graciously passing up some smaller ones, to wait it out. :)

he tells me this was a mercy kill.
this deer had apparently been wounded earlier in the season, and i quote.
"he came to the creek, and couldn't jump it, so i had to put him out of his misery. that is no way to live."

maybe compassion is sneaking into his heart after all.
i will take it. :)

and the other matt, well. i think he was just gun happy. he shot a tiny, itty deer.
poor thing. :)

doe season continues. matt typically does not shoot doe, but will continue to hunt with kaden
to see if maybe he can't shoot one.
kaden would be over-the-top thrilled if that would happen. :)
here's to more time on pinterest, scoping out delcious venison recipes.
it always works out for me. :)

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

around here.

and. i. LOVE. it.

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year to decorate.



sorry. had to sneak this thanksgiving picture in here.
(we are even missing a few. can you imagine the fun we are going to start having in just a few short years?)









hoping you are feeling energized and excited
for this Christmas season...

and something new i tried this year for advent is wrapping up Christmas themed books, and each child takes a turn opening a present, before bed, and then we snuggle in a bed, and read it together. it's been a lot of fun. i was surprised at how many Christmas books, i actually gathered around here, and then we got some library books, and i bought a few to add to the stash...all leading up to the Christmas story to open on Christmas Eve...i got the idea here.

of course it was not my own. :)
i am so inspired by pinterest and blogs.

it's probably an addiction of some sort. :)

some may think it's a waste of wrapping paper, and maybe it is,
but when you collect it at yard sales and goodwill for no more than $1/roll,
it's really no great sacrifice.
the kids get so excited when it's their turn to open the book.
even my nine year old, and it ensures we take time out to read together before bed.
a great habit, that sometimes gets missed in this household.
funny what five kids has done to bedtime...
life, really. :)

cheers.
are you done shopping yet?
just wonderin'.

wanna hear a sob story?

because i have one for you.

a real. live. sob story.

i have had a sore throat for a couple weeks now.

it came and went.

and now it's back again.

i was sure i had strep.

i don't.

i don't know how i don't, but that's another story. :)

so i loaded calli and karolina in the car, from picking them up at my mother in laws,

and we were going to run to a greenhouse to get some more

berries and greens for an arrangement i needed to do for church,

and low and behold i was driving too fast,

and got caught.

eeeekkkkk.

i don't drive fast, in comparison to my husband, i mean.

when i drive fast, it is setting the cruise to 10 mph OVER the speed limit.

that's what i do. on route 30 to exton. really.

so. when he told me i was doing 70. in a 45. i swallowed hard.
(and i did not cry for the record...that is cheating. :)  )

not because i was doing 70 because i was doing 64. :) 

i looked as soon as i saw him tucked into the trees.

but still. it's too fast, and i can't even believe i was driving THAT fast.

i don't really think any section of route 41 should be a posted 45 mph speed limit anyway.

this same section of route 41 that i have driven everyday of my life for the last hmmm.

17 years of my life.

besides i think i could count on my fingers how many cars actually drive 45 mph on this highway on

any given day.

can you hear me?

sob. sob. sob.

i don't feel good. i just came from the doctor's.
i need to finish an arrangement at church. i need to take calli to speech. i don't have time for this.

sob. sob. sob.

and of course the good part of the story is that my husband is encouraging me to

plead before the judge to reduce my points.

agggghhhhhhh. gives me a belly ache.
i don't think i am going too. :) but i didn't tell him that yet.

i can't even tell you the last time i had a ticket was...a very, very long time ago...

which tells me maybe it will be a very long time again, so 4 points won't matter much.

right?

that is the end of my sob story.

thank you for your compassion. :)

i have a long list of to do's today, before i am ready to host another *christmas* party tonight.

(from alli and matt's wedding)

and will share my house *christmas-fied*  later.

i love christmas.

even with a $171. ticket and 4 points.

ugh. :)

* the w.e.d.d.i.n.g. *

my cousin *alli* got married on saturday.

it was gorgeous. and i knew it would be.

i got to help do some flowers.

oh.la.la.

not really *my* thing, wedding flowers.

i love doing flowers for my house, because i am the critic, and so what i think looks cute, goes. :)

weddings are a whole nother ball game...

but my mom needed help, so i obliged. while my mother-in-law and hubs kept the kids.

*thank you*.

i had so much fun.

the wedding and reception was at the quilt museum in lancaster.

it was gorgeous by itself, and then my aunt and company did *so* much work.

exquisite.



lots and lots of white. winter white. and white feathers.

alli is all girly girl.

fit her to a tee. :)

we had a great time being there and catching up with family.
one of the most fun things there, was a photo booth.
yep. even with dress up boa's and hats. what a riot!!
thanks for the great evening shank's. :)

here is a tiny snippet of video that encompasses pieces of the day.
my favorite part is when they see each other for the first time. love it. :)



you can check out more of stonermedia weddings here.

can you BELIEVE this weather?

i mean. seriously?
70 degrees in december.
i am totally LOVING it.

karolina grace- 16 months. has fallen in love with this hat??  :)

i am still having massive amounts of trouble loading pictures onto here.

bare with me. :)
i may just have to break down and buy some more storage...
but my cute cousins are "on it" and will advise me as they see fit.

choosing to see.

i don't read much in the spring or summer. unless i am at the beach.

but bring on the cold weather, and nothing is better than being cozied up in my basement,

with a good book in my hand.

 i just finished choosing to see by mary beth chapman.

wow.

wife of singer/song writer stephen curtis chapman.

it tells the horrific story of their 17 year old son accidentally fatally

running over their youngest 5 year old daughter.

the tragedy. the sadness. is overwhelming.

i cried a lot.

and of course looked at my life a bit more.

some highlights i loved:

to set the stage:

the sky was bright, springtime blue that day. we were planning a wedding and graduation. we were happy. it was may 21, 2008. it didn't look like winter-yet. we were the parents of six beautiful children, blessed beyond our dreams. our 23 year old daughter, emily, had become engaged four days earlier. just the night before, we had bought her wedding dress. i had brought it home to show emily's three little sisters from china. shaoey was eight, stevey joy was five and maria had just turned five the week earlier...

then everything changed forever.

...when people ask how we are doing, the first thing i say is, "i want maria back. i want my son will franklin not to have this as a chapter in his story. i want my children to be healthy, my family secure. i don't really care whose life has been touched or changed because of our loss!"

...how would i have lived differently if i knew my time with maria was going to be so short? regretfully, i would have lived much differently. i would have purposely hugged and kissed more. i would have tried to memorize and lock away in my heart certain smells and smiles. i would have colored more and worked less. i would have laughed more and fussed less. bedtime wouldn't have become a chore to check off the list of things to get done. instead it would have been more of an opportunity to listen about the day and offer whatever words were needed. the swimming pool wouldn't have been too cold to swim in. the flowers in the garden would have all been picked, and definately  more ice cream would have been consumed.

...here is some of what i heard: why? "because i am God and i know all and am in control and know what is best. even though it looks a mess...it is My mess". what now? " i am God...keep walking and keep trusting...love well the ones still in your charge and care...realize that time is short, life is hard, but I've given you  so much, do not squander it!" How? "By remembering that I am God and your trust has to rely completely on Me...no striving of your own will to fix, heal, cure, help, calm any of what you see as a mess. i allow what i allow for reasons you can't even comprehend...rest. you won't figure this out, but He who holds maria holds you." "God can i just hear you audibly? About all of this?" as i was praying, tears streaming, eyes closed, all of a sudden-SMACK!- the loudest wave I'd heard all day, to the point where i jumped and it startled me. at once i heard God..."Hello, look at this ocean that i breathed and the waves that roll, but not too far, for it is My hand that keeps them off the shore."

We're not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be. ~ c.s. lewis.

read the book. it's worth your time.

you will devour it. and what raw insight into tragedy. whatever form it takes.

pain is pain. that is all. plain and simple.

the day after.

thanksgiving day 2012.

they will celebrate your abundant goodness & joyfully sing of your righteousness.
  ~psalm 145:7.

the day after.
a sink still loaded with dirty dishes. after loads have already gone thru the dishwasher.
so.many.dishes.

hmmmm.

 the day after i tried to joyfully serve 31 kings a brunch at 10 a.m. and dinner at 5 p.m.



[ i say this because this was the first year i felt really, really good. i mean. don't get me wrong.
i love to do this. i love to serve. people.
but this was the first year i kept my focus on the people.
(and not the fact that things didn't get done in time).
my bathrooms didn't get cleaned like i wanted. nor my windows.
in fact. the most particular aunt there was looking right across the table into a tiny, handprinted window.
it made me cringe. but there wasn't enough time.
and that was okay.
my upstairs looked like a tornado hit it. my room was a mess.
boxes of half-way gone thru christmas stuff thrown amidst the hallway.
normally, no one goes upstairs, until you have 31 people at your house.
and then. everyone finds a way upstairs.
oh well.
stop. focus.
why do i do this?
it certainly is not to showcase my home. or my pathetic effort at trying to keep things clean and tidy
with a houseful of 7 full-time living, mess making lovies, i call my family and me. :)
it is to stay connected to family. over good food. and coffee.
songs and prayers. hugs and laughter.]

we started this many, many years ago when matt and i lived in the trailer, on the back end of the farm.

no kids. just brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles.

now. we have bloomed into a houseful of gun shooting, coffee drinking, baby holding, nap taking, football watching, dog sitting, pony riding kings.

i am so grateful for the family i have become a part of.

funny how that ryan vogelsong name even comes up at the thanksgiving table.

isn't that amazing, what fame will do?

it makes me laugh. a lot. sometimes.

anyway.

onto thanksgiving.

i didn't take many pictures. 

my hands were full with other things.

i love to do the brunch on my own.
i love to be able to rest and relax when i go away for dinner, and hope that that's what people can do and
feel when they come to my home. that is my heart. and my desire.

and then i accept help for the dinner portion.
like. i do not do the turkey. or ham. that's where my in-laws pop into play. :)
thank you to ALL who contributed in some way.

[i did just try to upload some. and apparently i am out of free storage.

hmmm.

any advice? i have no idea what this means. other than maybe i should start copying my pictures onto cd's.?

is that right?

so i don't have to pay for storage?]

anyway. it was a great day.

i was beat by the end. but that's okay. i served with a joyful heart.

and i think maybe had some fun too.

i am thankful for the same things i am always thankful for:

a healthy, hard working, God loving, providing husband, 5 healthy, life living energetic kids i was gifted, an old warm house that happens to be a part of a working farm, that sits way back off the road. vehicles, a wood stove, food, in plenty and abundance, the beach, vacations, clothes, a hot shower, summer and the sun, clean water, a dishwasher, [a fridge...i got another to put in the basement, to help with yesterday. spoiled? yes. but totally and wonderfully useful, made my life much less stressful], a comfy bed, a washer and dryer, a toilet, that flushes, cameras and pictures, a family, and many friends, cell phones and coffee, church and Jesus, and Christmas, and teachers, and love. oh there is a million things. but i will stop there.

going to pack up the kids and visit the grandma who won't remember us.

it's okay. i don't know why God allows dementia? it's very sad. and very hard.

but i am also thankful for my mom and dad.
and grandma's and grandpa's.
and sisters and brothers
and in-laws and brother and sister in laws. a fully chaotic loved life.

xoxo.

hope your turkey day was good. and full. and that you found love...

cheating *

what a traumatic day here in the king household.

lots has happened. it's been a busy day.

i am only going to highlight 2 points to show you how much balance is in my life. :)

first things first. i go to pick up campbell at 12:15 p.m.

then it's 12:20 p.m.

and then slowly turns into 12:25 p.m. and then the secretary's phone rings.

she assures me campbell is on her way.

5 more minutes pass.

and then i see mrs. benard. campbell's kindergarten teacher in the glass pane thru the door.

oh. man. something is wrong...

campbell got her card flipped for cheating today.

eeeekkkk.

in my daughter's defense, of course,

my poor 5 year old didn't even know what cheating was to start off with.
her instructions were to draw a picture and write a sentence to tell about the picture.
the teacher did not tell them it was a test or assessment because then the children get nervous.
yes. campbell. :)
so their instructions were to work on their own, and that none of the teacher's could help them.

so...when campbell didn't know how to spell "outside" to complete her sentence for her picture,

I was playing outside

 she asked her neighbor to do it for her.
(as if her neighbor could even spell outside, but campbell assures me she could,
because she can spell words like Ariel  :) ).

OH MAN.

i guess she forgot the "work on your own" part?? :)

when i asked campbell why she didn't ask the teacher, she sobbed, "because i wasn't allowed".

booooo. hooooo.

what's a mommy to do?

my girl was DEVESTATED.

she sobbed for an hour.

like the can't catch your breath kind.

mrs. benard hugged and hugged her, and told her she was not mad at her,

but didn't like her bad choice.

i guess i should have home schooled afterall.
(in mrs. benard's defense, she sent me a very, very sweet e-mail...i should post it, but  i won't. :)  )

campbell was back to her  normal self this afternoon.
and as i was getting dinner ready, i was asking her more questions,
really trying to pound in the "do your own work" thing, and only ask the teacher to help you, thing...
and campbell said,
"i just got in a little tangle today mom, that's all. i still like school."
can you love her any more?

secondly.

kaycee, my 7 year old second grader comes home and tells me that

the girl who sits beside her in math cheated today.
like the pencils down at the 5 minute timer ding. and this girl picked her pencil back up when she thought
no one was looking, and filled in some more answers after consulting a number line on the wall.
ha. :)

and my shy little kaycee TOLD ON HER.
can you even BELIEVE it?? it's almost hilarious.

and  kaycee could not understand why this little girl would not look at her anymore.

eeeekkkkkkk.

do you see the balance i have here?

i just had to crack up.

pray for me. :)

there will be lots of clarifying this weekend.

pUmpKiN cHuNkin'

so. sunday was quite the experience.

as i mentioned earlier i found out there were actual people invited to this event on saturday night.

eeeekkkk. :)

sunday rolled around, and it was a gorgeous day.

karolina was not feeling the greatest, so i was inside chatting with my mom for awhile,

just *watching* the cars stream into our lane.

i kid you not.

the whole driveway was lined , and then down to the chicken houses at one point,

and then a second line in front of this field.

i sure would have never thought so many people would come.

i am sure the weather had a lot to do with it.

this is "the machine". i cannot explain how it works.
other than it's a bit funny to watch men beat themselves to bits trying to pedal a bike...
and it's according to the number of rpm's that determines when the pumpkin is "launched"...

just some pictures of some of the crowd.

i am just now noticing some people in the tree. :)

a fun part of the day was that 2 of my cousins and their wives showed up.

the most fun part of that was that colby, pedaled...

(i have video of him...and will try to post it later. it's pretty cute).

i think he got to 270 rpms, and matt pedaled too, but i missed him, :(

their top "pedaler" is george...looking at the camera in the bottom right hand corner.

he is an avid bicycle rider.

he gets to 300 rpm's.

and this is what happens when the above george pedals his heart out.

and the pumpkin does not go where it's supposed too.

oops.

fence is fixed now.

we are thankful we had a day of gorgeous weather, and were able to be a part of such a neat event.

with no injuries. :)

you can never have enough pictures with the grandma. :)

the chunkin' people were handing stickers out to the kids.

i at first thought they were target stickers. just a quick glance i guess? :)

 

you are invited.

to an event at our house TOMORROW.

the world record holding smokin' lamas pumpkin chunker is going to be HERE.

at OUR home from 2-4 p.m. in the afternoon.

they currently hold the world record for chunkin' an 8-10 lb. pumpkin 1500-1700 feet.

eeeekkkk.

can you feel the excitement?

:)

come and hang out with us for the afternoon.

here is a you tube video from 2 years ago, that would show the kind of
good ol' fashion fun, us down on the farm
country folk have here in eastern pennsylvania.

their new "machine" is much bigger and better. they tell me. :)



one of "those" moms.

i suppose i have been living in denial for some time now.

but i am beginning to see glimpses of reality.

now and again.

a lot of people gasp and sigh when they see i have 5 children.

i shrug it off. no big deal,

and kindly tell them it's really no different than having 3.

once you have 3, well, you and your spouse are outnumbered, so what's a few more?

i guess that may be a lie.

5 is more than 3. from every angle that i glance at it, and i am okay now.

with telling people. yes. 5 kids is a lot to handle. :)

last week. i would have still shrugged it off and smiled.

take for instance my visit to the library yesterday.

i was running around all over creation, in the morning, so...

i returned some library books at a library that was closed, that i don't normally go to.

(i should say these library books were overdue.)

our trip to the mountains caused me to focus on packing food, clothes and other necessities for 7 people.

i lost the library book focus.

now. for someone with 2 kids. their fine would have been. hmmmm.$3-ish.

mine. was $7.30.

sigh.

when you take 2 kids to the library who pick out 4  books each, that's 8 books.

when you take 5 kids to the library, who each get 4 books, thats 20 books.

enough said.

i stopped at a different library on the way home.

our stack of books was not nearly as many as 20, but still probably 12, since calli and i were picking out

books for everyone, since they were at school.

i thought i paid my fine the night before on the computer, to alleviate this next situation.

but apparently, i forgot to click the "confirm' button. :(

so situation ensues.

this nice, kind librarian asked me if i wanted to pay my fine, and i told her i thought i already had.

she clearly thought i was lying.

clearly.

as she looked sternly over her wire rimmed glasses at me, and said,

"and i see you still have 20 books out, they are not due until the 21st, but..."

i got the idea.

i tried to explain i had returned my 20 books that morning,

but the library i had returned them to, was closed,

so they weren't posted yet, but i realized by the way she was looking at me,

she thought my lie was getting bigger and bigger by the minute.

deep breath.

i apologized, as i felt my face getting red, (and realized i was looking guiltier and guiltier by the minute,)

 and offered to put the books back, it wasn't that big of a deal,

as karolina is crawling out of my hands, and calli is 'itching' to get out of there...

she then maybe looked at my stack of Jesus and Paul and Adventures in Oddyssey books,  :)

and decided to give me the benefit of a doubt.

she checked out my books, and i was on my merry way.

funny. how my James Bible studay is coming to an end.

we are talking a bit about judgement, and how quickly it happens everyday.

even at the library.

*******************************************

and i am curious about another situation.

i was doing my husband a huge favor the other week,

and had to drive to one of his listings outside of cochranville, to unlock it.

i was minding my own business, driving by a golf course, checking out my husband's listing sign

across the street, when, kur-plunk.

a sound.

i look in my sideview mirror and see a golf ball bouncing away from my car.

in retrospect. i KNOW i should have stopped and pulled over, and grabbed the ball,

and waited there to approach someone who came looking for their ball.

but that thought TERRIFIED me.

so. i did the second worst thing. and called my husband.

who INSISTED i go back and stop in at the clubhouse, to see what they were going to do about it.

EEEEEEKKKKKK.

am i the ONLY woman out there who would want to cry and die instead?

i am sure i saw the group of people who's ball hit my car.

but certainly did NOT have ANY nerve to approach them.

of course, the golf course will take no such responsibility for such a mishap,

nor would ANY golfter on the course even suggest that their ball might have been the one to DING my car.

so. i am out of luck.

a mad golf course owner,

who doesn't understand why i didn't stop those people and tell them they hit my car.

a mad husband for all of the above reasons.

kids packed in my car. questioning me what was wrong...

all to do my husband a favor.

and it comes crashing down on me...

can i just get a teeny bit of credit here.

in the last 12 years of my marriage to my outspoken husband.

can anyone vouge for me.

that i have become much more outspoken then EVER before?

please?

:)

*****************************************************

i guess that's all for now.

need to enjoy this gorgeous weather...

memories. and the grinch.

wow. sandy sure did know how to pack a punch, eigh?

my family has vacationed in ocean city, new jersey most of my growing up years.

i have fond, fond memories there, and surely that contributes to my love of the beach.

i haven't found many pictures of the devestation of ocean city, new jersey,

but did find this one of the pier...

the caption said, the ocean city pier survived irene...

but not sandy...
eeekkkk.

it's so devestating to think about all those people who have homes there. homes of any sort.

i can boo-hoo about not having my favorite vacation spot this summer...

but what, really... do i have to complain about?

not.a.bloomin' thing.

well...

except halloween. :)

can i vent for just a minute?

i am the grinch of halloween.

officially.

i hate it.

i really usually love to go to school. because i am involved with good news club, and well...
have 3 kids in the district now, lots of kids know me, and teachers too.
that is fun. to have a presence there.

but i kinda hate going there for halloween. and truth be told, try to bribe my kids not to stay for the parties.
eeeekkkkk. i know. horrible.

we really do feel called to our school district, and then listen to me, i am trying to bribe my kids away

from their halloween parties. :)

so. i go. and there are some really cute costumes.
and then there are some really gorey, horrible costumes.
like. what are people thinking? why exactly would you put something like that on your 7 year old again?

and wonder, why they would have nightmares? for real...

(kaycee and i copied some owl costumes off of pinterest.
ours of course looks original...but we liked it and it was from stuff we had around the house.  :) )

so i go. and chit chat with the other moms.
and let me tell you there are a ton.
at octorara, this holiday brings parents out of the woodwork.
there are more parents BY FAR at the halloween party then any other party during the year.
it's bizzare.

so. i smile. and wave. and smile.

and thank the mom who proudly passes out cupcakes with R.I.P tombstones  and a bloody hand

coming up out of the cupcake, around to my 5 year olds kindergarten class.

i graciously thank the other mom who passes out plastic skeleton cups with goodie bags in them.

( i think campbell just got a glimpse of those gorey cupcakes)
(just kiddin')  :)

so kind of her. just how i like to start my day. drinking my milk out of a skeleton cup.
especially when i am 5 years old. :)

i hate that i am so critical...

i know in my head that this may just be a  part of being in the world, and not of the world.
nor me, nor my family is in this alone...i chatted with many christian moms there today...
but sometimes it's a little much.

and then i feel a soft hand on my shoulder, someone telling me it's so good to see me at all these events.
and i turn and smile bigger.
lynn brown.
a christian teacher who happens to know my mom AND my mother-in-law. double yippee.

and then get an e-mail from campbell's teacher, avis benard, wishing us traveling mercies on our get-away.
and don't do any school work, just have fun as a family.
time goes by so fast.

and then. i sigh. and think. it's gonna be okay.
gorey cupcakes and skeleton cups and all.
God has us in his hand. We are right where He wants us to be. and that feels good afterall.
it doesn't have to be about me. all the time. now does it?
thank you for listening to me rant.
i am done.

(and cowgirl campbell...who asked if we could come home at 3 p.m. yeeeee-haaaa)  :)

i was at Bible Study from 9:30 until 11:30 a.m.
then with kaycee from 12:30 until 1:45...
brought kaycee home early and picked up campbell,
to take her back to her party,
and was with her until 3 p.m.
which meant i missed kaden's party because it was at the same time as campbell's. :(

boo.

one of my friends said, i guess that's what we get for having our kids 20 months apart.
i cracked up.
we can't be everywhere, all the time, now can we?

so now it's off to clean and pack for a little va-cay.

catch ya later.

stay cozy.

good morning monday.

good morning rainy, hurricane sandy laden monday.

we stayed in bed until 8 a.m.

well. me and the kids that is.

my energetic husband was out of bed at 5:30 a.m. and off for breakfast with some guys.

something about bad weather that drives him to the road??

kaden and i stayed up to watch the giants clinch the series.

yay. for the giants.

so fun to watch them win and celebrate.

congratulations to ryan vogelsong and his gorgeous family.

what a ride. a wild, wild ride.

for those of you who have been fascinated by the fact that i knew ryan. :)
there is a great article you can find...
here.
you will see that i am not kidding when i say his family. well. mainly his wife. is gorgeous. :)

today. looks like a jammie day. and trying to cook while we still have electricity.
and make some costumes for parties on wednesday.
i am also certainly thankful i have the pleasure to stay home with my 5 children,
and do not have to hustle off to work this morning, in this storm.
i am blessed.

we are so thankful our chickens left last week.

life is much less stressful during a storm with no chickens.

let me tell you that. :)

here's to a look over the last week.

digging in the flower beds. spending lots of time outside in the 70 degree weather.

playground dates.

story time outside.
decorating for fall.

it was glorious. especially comparing it with what's going on outside today.

happy monday to you. how are you going to spend your day?