Christmas Break

Breakfast. I really enjoyed the conversation they all had about knock knock jokes.

Shad managed to scratch his eye. Emergency trip to the Eye Dr. was fun but wore me out. I had the 5th grader next door watch the other three while I raced him to the Eye Dr.

Ali and Cousins Zoe, Hannah, and Noah performing some songs with instruments.

Right before we left the play park.

Got to love hansome EE.

I love cousin Zoe's outfit. She dressed in Ali's clothes after she got here. It is hard to tell but the tights and the dress were awesome!

Princess make up time.

Shadrach building geomatic shapes.

We got four spiderman puzzles for Christmas. Ali is doing the hardest one.

After reading a long hard book, Ali picked a fruit smoothie for her reward.

Christmas 2010

Enoch playing with all of his cars and trucks after we were all done opening gifts. His cars and trucks are still in the kitchen a week later. I sort of like the home for them for now. He is always there playing with him, and I am so often in the kitchen that I can watch him.

Opening presents is hard work. We need a break.

The aftermath.


You handsome bluet. Don't you ever die!

EE loved opening presents.

Shad on first seeing the presents.

Ali and I were the first up. She got to open her stocking while we waited for everyone else.

I got a CAMERA for Christmas, so now I can blog again. Thanks Greg!

First day of school!!

I make Ali's lunch every day. I would let her buy it, but she never wants to. I always try to make it special. This day her sandwich was a fish. Shadrach's first day of Preschool.

Another picture of Shadrach's first day.

Ali's First Day. She is walking with Molly.

First day of School again.

I ended up not being so nervous about Ali's first day of school because I ended up having to go to court for Autumn at 9:00 in the morning. Right when Ali was going to school. I ended up sending Ali to my neighbor's house, so that Greg and I could both be at court. ( Greg took the morning off for it.) We were going to ask the judge if we could have guardianship over Autumn, but we never got the chance to talk. They ended up putting Autumn in Foster Care. So Ali's first day of school ended up being a little side step into not so important. I almost decided- or did decide to but just didn't get the chance- to add another child to our family. That decision was very stressful. I am sure that this story isn't over either. It is just to be continued. I just hope it ends before it goes on her whole life.

Brown County 2010

I broke Greg's camera on our trip to Brown County. I only broke the screen though so I could still take pictures. Now, Greg doesn't want me to take the camera around anymore so that is why I haven't been blogging so much. I think maybe I will ask for a camera for Christmas. This is my family all gathered together and a pizza party/cookout at one of the shelters in Brown County.
This is a Picture of Alora roasting a hot dog covered in Bacon. I didn't have one, but it sounded GOOOD!~

Enoch riding the ponies. The pony rides were great. My kids really looked forward to them.

Waiting......Waiting... for my turn....... Waiting.......

I guess I took a lot of pictures at the pony rides. I wasn't sure how broken my camera was so I didn't want to waste time taking pictures if they didn't work. I hope I will get more pictures of the family event later.

Nana's House!!!

Ali and Zoe best of cousins. They have some icing on their lips from cake. Nana got a new beautiful deck that we all enjoyed eating a steak dinner on. I love the Sunday when we go and see family. (1)My kids are normally amused and play happily (2) I don't have to cook (3) I don't have to do dishes (4) my house stays clean. (5) Plus I feel like we are keeping the Sabbath day holy by visiting family. Nana, Greg, and Nikki singing happy birthday to Shad and Zoe.

Shadrach got a splinter in his finger and screamed BLOODY MURDER!!! when he was told that they were going to take it out. It only took 5 seconds to take out but the 5 min. it took to find tweezers was the loudest yelling you ever heard. We thought we could stop the screaming with a chocolate Popsicle, but nothing would work.

Having that much fun with family always makes us want to move closier. Maybe someday.

Great Grandama's Birthday 96!!!

Enoch and Noah playing together at my Grandma's 96 birthday party. We went on a walk half way through to get some wiggles out. Shadrach, Hannah and Enoch. Ali started to come but then decided to head back. Then when we got back Alora was concerned that she didn't know where Ali was. It is very unlike Ali to run off. She would never do this. But after a few min. I still hadn't seen her. Some people started to look. I told myself she was fine, but I still couldn't find her. After 5 min. We realized she was just in the bathroom. She often takes her time in the bathroom.

This is my grandma and most of her Great-Grand Children. All of my siblings and there kids are here. Enoch, shadrach, Eliza, Jack, Alora, Olivia, Ali, Noah, and Hannah.

Shadrach off in his own world but still in the kitchen of my Grandma's retirement home visitors room. I love it how he can escape in his imagination.

My brother Bruce and his wife and their son Baby Jack.

The fair!

Ali and Shadrach and Enoch got to pet an alpaca at the fair. Shadrach in front of a llama. Some of our favorite books are about a little llama by Anna Dewdney and his different adventures. They were excited to see a real llama because they have read so much about one.

We always have to go to the 4-H fair. I am not sure if my kids will do 4-H but it sounds like a good program. The fair just seems part of summer. We went on the last day. It was a busy week and we barely fit it in. Ali is drinking a lemon shake up. We have to get classic fair food. A lemon shake up and a funnel cake all to share. We decided not to eat dinner there because it costs too much, it isn't healthy, and we are scared of food poisoning. There were fire trucks at the fair. Enoch of coarse was excited.

We love Trader's point indoor park. We often go in the winter, but haven't gone too much this summer. So I decided to go.

My two little monkeys. Shad would tell you he is spider man though.

Ali and Shadrach are in the wobbly bridge. You can't see Ali because of the glare.

Shad's Belated Birthday

We were on vacation during Shadrach's birthday. We had a little party for him up in Michigan with my parents, but we gave him a little more of a party when we got home. His big present was this marble machine. His favorite thing in the whole world is the bouncing balls on the fourth floor of the Children's Museum. This was the closest thing would could get to that. It took Greg 2 and 1/2 hours to build both of these contraptions.

They played with them four several hours, but they play with it so much that several different parts broke.

Here is Shadrach and hi Birthday Cake. We had the Elders over that night too.

Ali and Shadrach being best Friends. Ali was the mean dragon ( note the face) and Shadrach was the viking rider.

A day at home

Uncle Frank comes over often and plays with the kids. They love him because he plays with them so hard. They are always worn out after he leaves. Enoch and Uncle Frank are helping me make some bread. I LOVE my bread machine. We have home made bread around 2-3 times a week.

Some of "Terri's Friends" came over. My next door neighbor runs a daycare and her kids often come over and play. My kids love it because it is instant friends.

Everyone eating lunch outside. Eating outside make less mess for me to clean up! We bought a huge 10 x 10 foot sand box and a trampoline so our back yard could be "fun" this year. They also love to play on our hammock.

This is my kids play at the water table. They love the water table. I call it a sensory table because of my early childhood education college years, but no one every knows what I am talking about. So I will call it a water table.

I needed to clean the bathrooms this morning. I was trying to figure out what I could have the kids do while I cleaned. But I didn't have to because they decided to help. Ali's first time cleaning the toilet. She has clean the bathroom before but just to pick up toys and wipe down the sink. She was excited!

Shadrach loves the spray bottle. I always have to watch him because he get over zealous with his spraying.