Never too big

Ali went with me to try and find some coordinating outfits for our family picture.  She is not the best shopper in the world.  Her legs always get too tired.  Believe it or not, Enoch is the best shopper in the family.

So I told her to sit in the baby sit.  She was excited about it.  So I pushed her all around Walmart.  Now in her defence, Walmart was the third store we went too.  I decided to treat her with an ICEE from the Subway inside of Walmart.   

 Now this is a big deal in our family.  We just don't buy treats at the store.  However, I had a gift card for Subway still from Christmas, and I felt like being nice.  It started to poor down rain, and we both got drenched.

I love rain now. I guess that is what happens when it is 98 degrees all summer, and there is a drought.   I love the wetness on my skin, and the sound of a clap of thunder.  I normally love the smell of rain too, but something is wrong around this Walmart, and it always smells like sewer rats that have eaten White Castle.  The rain brought out the sweet sewer smell even stronger than usual.  So besides the gross smell, a pleasant girls shopping trip.

When you only have 100 years to live

My Grandma turned 98. We have a big party for her each year. And when I say big party, I mean a lunch and cake.

. Here is a picture of all of the great grand kids minus Eliza. She was sick.

Jack being helpful and pushing Grandma to get her food.

All of the cousins were very excited to see each other. I like it that they are such good friends.

Maybe I am wrong but I always think Noah is slightly annoyed that Enoch worships the ground he walk on. Enoch wants to do everything with Noah and I think Noah would prefer spending time alone with Shadrach. Noah is too nice and always lets Enoch follow him around. I think Noah and Hannah finally stopped calling him baby Enoch.

I try to imagine my life if I live to 98....

I think I will have six kids.....

(Dream sequence)

Ali- will have traveled the world in her ballet company. She will teach ballet at Juilliard when she is older and have 4 kids. She will spend her life serving others. Always giving her time and her talents to people in need. She will be 78. She will have 14 grand children and I can't even think about great grand kids..... ???40??? Let's not do that great grand kids... too much thinking involved.

Shadrach- will have been a Military General and saved the world from WWIII with his loving and humble heart. He will have 8 kids. He will be 76. He will have 30 grand children.

Enoch- will be President of the United States of America for an unheard of three terms. He appointed Shadrach something important and they worked together closely. He will have 3 kids. He will be 74. He will have 8 grand children.

Liam- He is a Dentist, but in his free time, he lives for music. He will play piano and four other instruments. He will have 5 kids. He will be 72. He will have 17 grand kids.

Baby number five..... I just can't say.....cure cancer???

Baby number six..... same....prophet????

My family will have strong memories of serving and loving others. They will constantly try to make the world a better place. Greg and I retire to Glen Arbor, Michigan. I have to wear two sweatshirts ever day because I am so cold, but I don't care. Shadrach, Enoch, and maybe a future baby decide to come retire near us. Everyone gets together in the summer at the lake. I still walk the Empire Bluff trail every day with Greg who is 102.

I know what you are saying. "Molly, I think you need to dream a little bigger. These aren't big enough goals." Hey, they say shoot for the stars so when you land on the moon, you still did a pretty awesome job. Here's to the stars!

Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble

"We got Trouble!  Right here in West Chester City!

With a capital "T" and that rhymns with "P" and that stands for pool......
which ends with "L" and starts with LIAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

He takes this stool all around the house.  He can get anything with it.  He can get extra cookies off the counter, toothpaste, everyones tooth brush, food out of the pantery, paint out of Greg's painting desk, miniatures out of the den etc...

Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble

   I have no idea how he got the crock pot on top of that pot.  And yes he is sitting on the rice maker.  He takes all of the pots out of the cubboards around 15 times a day.  -Sigh-  I find them all over the house.

Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble

On a good note, he has stopped crying endlessly when we are at home.  He used to just hold on to make legs and cry all day long until I picked him up.  Now, he plays or aka gets into everything.  I definately like get in to everything better than crying.  I just felt like complaining a little bit.

Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble

 

Here are some Trouble Liam Stories.

1.  He knocked over our Christmas tree and broke the Christmas tree.

2.  He took apart the heating panel on our heater in our sunroom.

3.  Even though he was only 2 feet away from me, he opened up a bottle of bleach and spilled it all over him.  I was helping Ali with spelling words, and he scooted behind me and got in to the laundry area and open it.  It WAS child proof. 

4.  He got into Greg's paint.  Gave the small sealed paint to Chewy who then chewed it open for him.  He then begin to play with the bright, blue paint in the middle of our carpeted living room floor.  

5.  He likes to climb into the bath tubs by himself and turn on the water- fully clothed.

However, I prefer the mayham to the crying.

Tyler

Tyler our friend from Lebanon came and stayed with us last week.  My kids loved having him here with us. 

Sometimes I think " I am a genius."  I think my parents did a really good job making sure I was a confident person.  This is one of those times I thought "I am a genius."  Baby pool on the trampoline!!! Now they can jump into the POOL!!!! 

My husband got home and told me how dangerous that was........ whoops..... I still think it was genius

We had so much fun.  He stayed for almost five days.  I often forgot my camera because I had one more kid and some how the camera is easy too forget.

Greg played TONS of games with the kids.  I think around 8 hours total the whole five days which is a lot if you realize he was working. So it was only when he was home from work that he played.

After it was over, it really made me think about being a foster parent.  I really want to do it; however, I really understand all the craziness that will come from it- so I shy away from it for now.   I think it might be too much for Greg.  It makes him remember sad times in his life with his foster sisters.  Too many memories.  We will wait.  And we will see.

A Camping we will go

 So we went camping.  It is a small miracle.  We haven't been camping since Ali was 9 months old.  Greg says he can't do it because of his back, but he came home from work early wanting to go camping.  I was a little tired myself, but I thought I might not ever get the chance again,so we packed FAST! I let Ali and Shad pack themselves for the first time ever, and I made Greg pack Enoch. And then we hit the road.

 The camp site we randomly picked was awesome! Not to far away and they have a lake you can go swimming in.  We set up the tents and then took everyone for a dip in the lake.  It wasn't Glen Lake up in Michigan, but it made everyone very happy.

 We came back to hot dogs and cheese nips.  Then the kids put wood of the fire for over an hour.  This was very fun for them.  Of coarse, we had to make s'mores.

 Enoch's face after his first bite of S'more. 

 The kids climbed trees

 Chased Raccoons

 Caught Lightning bugs

Played with Flash Lights

I couldn't believe how well it went.  They all stayed up until around 10:00 which is more than 2 hours past their normal bed time.  No melt downs.  Enoch woke up in the middle of the night and moved into our tent and slept with me in my sleeping bag.  I actually slept better after that happened for some reason. 

Our camping neighbors played the worst music I ever heard.  I heard more swearing last night than I have in my whole life.... maybe times two.  They played it sooooo loud and all the way until 3 in the morning.  Some how the kids fell asleep to it like white noise. But other than that great trip!

Pizza! Just how I like it!

 Why is making pizza so fun?  I don't think I will ever know.  It is so cheap and it is a meal and an activity in one.  I love it.  We do it at least once a week.

 This time they played with the dough for over an hour--  making it different T.V. characters.

 Enoch HAS to have sausage on it or he won't eat it.

Ali with almost no cheese at all.  Just enough for "eyes" and a "smile"

Worth $10

A blow up baby pool is amazing.

 It can amuse all ages for hours.

Of all the kids, Ali had the most fun.  I knew she would too.  She can't even lay down in it she is so big.  But she still had fun for hours.

Liam really liked it too.  It always takes him a while to warm up to the idea. 

Cincinnati Museums - 4 in 1

Cincinnati's old train station is now four museums in one.  Enoch has been DIEING to go again ever since we went the first time way back in January.  Greg drove the first time.  I haven't gone since because I was scared of the drive.  I know 75 is the same thing as Indy's 65.  But I KNOW 65.  75 is new and I don't like new things.  ( if you didn't know that about me, it is very, very true)  But I did it for Enoch.    I love you Enoch. 

   This is a picture of part of one museum about WWII.

 We spent most of our time at Cincinnati's children's museum. 

 I brought a Lunch but no one complained about being hungry so we kept playing

  and playing

 And playing

 Until it was 2:30 and I was starving and I said guys we really have to EAT!!!

So we left and ate our picnic lunch out side and drove home.  It made the day just fly by.  i look forward to our next visit.  But not the drive.

Will they believe it

 Enoch and Liam spend a lot of time playing in thier dad's painting desk.  Yes, I said "in."  In that part of the desk where the computer would go if we put a computer there.

 They like to climb in there and shut the door.  Yes shut the door and laugh....  and laugh. ....and giggle.  This is really the only time Liam and Enoch Play together.  But they do it for around 30 min. almost every other day.

I wonder when they are grown men if they will believe me that they both fit inside of it.  So I took some picutres to prove it.    It makes me happy.

Summer Morning Routine

So this is our 2nd day of summer.... sort of.  I had a lot of fun planning and organizing our summer routine.  So far I am liking it as long as I remember it is a routine and not a schedule. 

As soon as people wake up, they can do whatever they want!  The kids love this.... and I think I do.  It seems wrong to me.  I think you should get all your work done and then play.  But if I make them do chores as soon as they get up, they complain.  Some how they complain less this way. 

 Shad on the IPad

 Ali watching PBS

Enoch playing PBS kids ( I like PBS.... could ya tell)

Then we eat breakfast, get dress, and do chores.  If everyone does all of their chores with out crying or complaining I pay them $0.50.  The $1.50 I pay out every day is worth every penny.  I hate to hear them complain and this stops it.

They have set chores every day like tidy your room, make your bed, wash your face, etc....

And then they have a BIG chore that changes every day.

 Ali cleans one bathroom

 Enoch another

 Shadrach read????? nope... he just got distracted. Typical.

Shadrach vacuums.

Then it is time for "school"  I live for this.  We have a rotation of IXL ( computer math), RAZ ( computer reading), read out loud, journal, and personal study time with mom ( where I can do what ever I want with them. Normally math flash cards, spelling words, and things they need to work on).

 Shad reading out loud to Enoch

 Ali working on spelling words

Enoch "reading" books

What does Liam do during all of this.  During the morning fun time and chores he screams- he likes to scream, and then I put him down for morning nap during school time. 

When he wakes up, then we are off.  Sometime between 10:00 and 10:30.  I try not to care abotu the time.  Pictures of all those adventure to come through out the summer.