Off to the Park

I have started doing child care in our home. It has been good for our kids. 

Heading to the park:

 In our backyard:

 Walking down our back alley, 8 kids & me:

House Updates

I will post before pictures later. They aren't on this computer.

 New flooring:

Just Plain Cuteness

Just before lunch one day I put a video on downstairs & came back to find these 2 cuties snuggled up together. Unfortunately that was it for a nap that day.

It's Been Awhile

I am really behind on my blogging once again. I had uploaded a bunch of photos but hadn't finished the post & lost them all and I hadn't got back to it. Where has the summer gone? The last post was Calleigh's birthday & that was at the end of May. Now it is the end of summer. Wow. Time flies!

 Here are just a few pictures of our every day life. The twins & Calleigh now share a room. It was a smooth transition. They all go to bed well & sleep well except for this one day. The twins played in their room for their entire nap. The room was clean before nap time. The picture below shows Calleigh's displeasure with the mess.

Calleigh will be starting kindergarten in just over a week. This picture was taken at her kindergarten orientation. She is Miss Bossy(to put it nicely 'she has great leadership qualities') We are trying to work on being more kind. She plays well with others as long as she can be boss.

These 2 are quite the pair. This is what they did while the rest of us played mini golf.

Micah was in a soccer tournament in Melfort in June. He really excels at soccer & he had an excellent coach. He told us that Micah has so much skill & he really worked with Micah.

Miss Leah

Micah is a good big brother to Lauryn & Leah. Last Sunday at church, Lauryn had a nap on Micah's lap. I wish I had a picture of that.

The kids & I sang at Love Gospel Jamboree this year. I was hoping to post a few videos but the files are too big.

Once again we went to red Deer for our summer holidays. The boys just took it all in & loved every minute of it. They went around & talked to the singers & got their signatures. Here they are with Jim Brady of the Booth Brothers.

And the girls with Olivia Collingsworth. Calleigh adores her.

What else is happening? 

Starting on Monday I will be starting full time child care in our home. This will be a huge change for all of us. I am up for the challenge and am really looking forward to it. I am needing more structure & routine & just need to be spending more time with our children. It seems that having more children here would mean that I will be spending less time with my own children but that is not the case. Sadly, the kids & I often do our own things(me cleaning & the kids playing) but with this I will be focused on the kids 100% & spending much more time with our children.

I hope to keep you updated more regularily. Most of you keep up to date on Facebook. I need reminders to update the blog.

Hope you had a great summer. Keep in touch...

Calleigh's Birthday

Our sweet Calleigh is 5 years old already.

Daddy took her out for breakfast on her birthday & then bought this dress for her.

 Calleigh will be heading to kindergarten in the fall. She had her orientation at the beginning of June & the very next day she was dressed & waiting for Bryan to pick her up for school. She wanted to go to school. I am glad she is excited. Calleigh has great leadership qualities(in other words, bossy) & I am sure that she will put those to use at school. She can also be kind & thoughtful & so sweet.

The twins eating the sprinkles that had fallen on the counter.

We thought we would have to have her birthday inside this year but it turned out to be a nice day.

We had a rainbow birthday with rainbow cupcakes & jello cups & had a visitor show up.

I like Calleigh's expression on her face.

May Long Weekend

We went to Mom & Dad's for a wiener roast. Lauryn loved the kittens. She wouldn't let go of them. Leah would rather just look at them. She had a kitty clung to her sweater but she wouldn't hold it. She let go & the kitty just clung there.

Calleigh loved the kittens too & she would love to have one.

(that is Lauryn's fake smile)

They had so much fun climbing on the bales & on top of the horse trailer and of course Micah was off playing ball with Grandpa.He takes a bat & ball everywhere he goes hoping that there will be someone willing to play ball.

"Weeeeee"

I managed to get the garden planted & then we went for another wiener roast at the Marten's. It was a cool rainy day but we were still able to be outside together.

May

I have a bunch of pictures to add to the blog. I am almost 2 months behind. I will give you just a bit of an update. Here a few candid shots from May.

 At the Regional Park on one of the few nice days we have had. The park is getting a spray park & a new playground so most of the old stuff is taken down.

 Tried to get one of all 5 of them but that is near impossible.

 The twins are monkeys. They were to the top before I even noticed. 

They love to climb & they have no fear.

 One morning when we were out for a walk, Calleigh fell down so I pushed 100lbs in the stroller. The twins didn't even mind, they actually fell asleep.

Hang on, I have many more to upload.

April

April started out nicely with great weather.

We try to take a picture at this spot each year at the beginning of April so we can look back at it & see how much snow we had each year at that time.

Happy Easter!!

It went from dry ground to this:

The twins woke up & went & found their boots so they could go outside. I told them that it is cold outside so they went back downstairs & found 2 of the boys hats & put them on. They thought they were ready to play outside now. They make me smile:)

The day before I had clothes hanging on the clothesline.

I do have to admit that the tree looked so beautiful with the heavy snow on it.

We drove through the snow to the Marten's to have a little Easter(Resurrection) celebration with them.

We all enjoy being at their house. I read a quote & it suits our relationship with them:

"Family isn't always blood.

It is the people in your life who want you in theirs: the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile & who love you no matter what."

We received this wonderful basket from these great friends.

I used it the next morning to start our little hunt.

I had 8 clues for the kids to go find their baskets.

Our tired little bug, Lauryn. She fell asleep before I even had lunch on the table.