annnnd....we are proud to announce.....

Duke and Suri are going to have puppies!

We have suspected for some time now, but it is getting to be that time. Paul built a nice cozy whelping box for her the day before he left for France. If my calculations are correct, she should be having puppies somewhere between the tenth and fourteenth of December. The box is set up at the end of the living room. Suri is just too friendly and people-oriented to stay downstairs or in one of the bedrooms, we have no garage, not that we would put her in there anyway:) so....our Christmas is going to be yappy and sweet and wonderful and crazy.

And: Margaret passed her driver's test today! She only took it four times. It has been rough for her....she and Samuel took it together, for the first time, he passed and she didn't. She took it a second time, then a third. She got discouraged. She didn't want to take it again and fail it again. She wanted to cancel it. But she realized that in all these trials, she was learning humility, she was learning to fight against anxiety. As we drove to the test today, she said she wasn't even nervous. And that she was thankful for failing so many times, because she learned so much from it. When she pulled back to the curb and the driving instructor exited the vehicle, I peeked in and she was just beaming! Then she started crying, tears of joy. I was so happy and excited for her, she finally did it. We agreed that if she had just passed the first time it wouldn't have been nearly as joyful. It is the same way with other things in life, we would never choose difficulties, but there is much to learn in them.

btw, she isn't a bad driver. She just made some mistakes...in the first test, the tire hit the curb during her three-point turn. In another test, she stopped pulling out when she saw someone coming down the road, but the instructor told her to stop right as she was stopping, and that is automatic failure. Anyway. She finally passed. Nine down, seven to go.

After she passed, we were tempted to go out to lunch to celebrate, but we didn't. We just got coffees from Tim Horton's, she got a skinny mint chocolate latte, I got a coffee with sugar-free mint chocolate. Yummy, and pretty guilt-free. We did some grocery shopping, a bit of Christmas shopping, then home....

I put away groceries, made a pot of chili, and got the kids out the door to activity club. I am going to start wrapping presents tonight, instead of wasting the whole time on the computer.

Tomorrow, I plan to stay home and buckle down on schooling with Jonathan. He is learning cursive, and how to write better sentences. He has a lot of knowledge in his little head, but needs to write neater.

The washer is humming, the dryer is going, the Christmas lights are all on in the windows, the dogs are sleeping...oh, I do enjoy a quiet evening alone.

Paul is doing okay in France. He said he can understand quite a bit, and speak enough to be basically understood about simple things. He went to a nice restaurant with colleagues last evening, said dinner lasted like four hours.

I miss him. And shh, I am jealous that he is going to Normandy without me. I got myself in too much trouble when he was in Germany that first time by mentioning my jealousy of a co-worker, so I won't even go there, won't mention that he is going with a different female co-worker... I simply won't mention it:) And I hope that whoever reads this realizes that this is just the way I feel about things, not that anything is wrong. Paul and I get far too little time to ourselves, far too little time to do fun things and go on adventures. I love how he is when he is happy about something, or really interested in something. I just don't like missing that, it has nothing to do with thinking he is doing anything wrong. He is a very good and faithful man, very responsible and honest and solid. I totally trust him.

And for not going there, I sure went there.

Anyway. I need to get a few things accomplished. With puppies coming, and only three weeks until Christmas, I need to use my time wisely instead of leaving everything until the last minute:)

oh the quiet....

A tired mom isn't the best mom, but then again, if writing is therapeutic, does it cancel out the fatigue to sit here and type out a quick post? I spent my evening doing some online shopping for Christmas. I let Sonja K. pick out some things, and Kathryn, and then a few things for some of the others....it takes so long. I like free shipping, but what if my item was $45 and one has to spend $59 to get free shipping? Do I spend another $15 just to save $5.75? I looked and looked, and couldn't find anything else we needed, so I spent the money on shipping. Time, ticking away....

It is quite amazing though, just to scroll through page after page of CyberMonday deals, type in the card number and verify the address, and BINGO, stuff will be coming in the mail! I need to write down what I got for whom, and keep track of it. Buying even two or three things each for 16 kids, plus for Ashley (I already bought things for Anya, I have to exercise much restraint or I will go crazy there!), and for Paul, and for our friend Stevie who will probably be here for Christmas. We also do Secret Santa on Christmas eve, and there are kids coming to me and whispering the name they have to buy for, and asking me what to get or if I have something good already in my closet....my head does spin.

Kathryn, Sonja, Camille, and I brought Paul to the airport. wah. I didn't want to let him go again already. He is so very brave to go to France all by his lonesome, he is renting a car and navigating to his hotel....I don't even like driving to the big city alone. He texted me before he boarded his overseas flight...he is flying right now, almost in France. I miss him already.

After we dropped him off, we went to the grocery store. We had some coupons for shampoo and toothpaste, plus the store had double dollar coupons, so we got some decent deals. We also got oranges and grapefruit and apples and bananas and cucumbers and peppers and lettuce and meat and rolls and milk and yogurt and and and. I had Mirielle's car, so I stopped and filled it with gas.

Then to church....oh it is good to see my friends! Then home...but wait, the minivan was almost out of gas! To town to get that filled...then into the store there because they had boneless chicken breast for $1.68 a pound, we practically live on it:)

Home...put seasoning on chicken, put in oven, back out the door to bring Sonja to her cousin's birthday celebration. Home....into my room to exercise! yay me! I really needed it, the feeling of well-being and satisfaction, that feeling in the muscles....I don't know why I dread it, yet love it at the same time. And believe me, it is no easy feat to find the time, even though I do it for less than 20 minutes. Miss Camille always has a million urgent questions right when I am doing push-ups.

After that, dinner time! I bought two pizzas at the store, buy one get one free, so I baked them after the chicken was done. Most of the kids had pizza and chicken and carrots and sliced oranges....I had a huge plate of raw spinach, cucumbers, craisins, and the chicken. I cut up some of the chicken, added butter and hot sauce, baked it a little longer, and yeah, tasted like Buffalo wings....just a bit healthier.

Then....back out to get Sonja, then back to my online shopping.

We decorated the house a bit the other night, and it hit me that in a few years, no one will really care so much about making it Christmas-y in here. Margaret actually asked if we really need to get a tree this year. Um, yes! The two little girls were the only ones who were jumping up and down about putting up the little village and the advent calendars and the wreaths and the pointsettas....I am running out of kids! What on earth will I do when I am the only one happily decorating? When there is on longer little children begging to get things out and put up? Oh, it went by too fast!

Last night I had a dream that my mother was holding baby Anya, and she was just loving her. My mother has been gone for seven years now, but in that dream she was so real. It comforts me to see her in dreams because I can still remember her so clearly. Back when she was still around, cell phones were unheard of, practically. We didn't instagram every moment of our day, we didn't tell the whole world on facebook what we just bought at the store. To take a video, one had to use a bulky video camera. But oh my, I wish I had more pictures of my mother. Some videos. I miss her, miss her voice, although I sound exactly like her sometimes. I will say something to the kids and it's like Oh No, I AM My Mother.

So it gets later and later, and here I sit. I need to go to bed, Susan is dropping off some cute little children in the morning, I need to babyproof and sweep up dog fur. Abigail has the day off from work, so she is coming over for lunch. We were thinking of going out to lunch, but now I think we will just eat here and save some money and some calories, plus we will have the cute little ones to visit with and chase around.

and I guess I'll try again....

I wrote a nice long post the other day, then lost the internet connection. The whole page just disappeared into thin cyberspace. rrr. It was quiet here today, as several of the older kids worked at the Dome for the football game, which we won, a few of the girls babysat the twins, Emily worked, Mirielle slept all day and left for work this evening. Only eight of us sat and had turkey soup with brown rice....Paul and I, Abigail, Kathryn,Sonja, Jonathan, Charlotte Claire, and Camille.

The little girls hounded me until I agreed to decorate for Christmas a bit. I DID say After Thanksgiving, and they held me to it. It looks a little festive in here, but no tree yet, we don't do that until a few weeks before. The Dome kids came home in a flurry of stamping feet and barking dogs, had some pie, then Sam went bowling with three of his church friends, after pie of course.

Abigail is going to watch a movie with Evelyn and Sonja and Suzanne and Jonathan, after the little girls go to bed.

I had a horrific headache today. Two ibuprofen, four ibuprofen, it pounded so bad I was going to throw up. I gave in and took a nap. I slept for over three hours. When I woke up it was getting dark out, and I felt so much better, but what a waste of a day. And the bad part is that I totally and completely blanked out on a baby shower for a friend this afternoon. It was just not on the radar, I knew it was coming up, but....ooops, forgot. That doesn't sound very nice, either, to apologize to her and say, Yah I just forgot all about it. But I did.

I wouldn't have been able to go with that headache anyway.

Paul is leaving tomorrow morning again, France this time, for two weeks. ugh. He just came home! '

So....I have something huge to be thankful for: Ben and Ashley are coming home for Christmas!!! The tickets are expensive last minute, but Gramma is helping:) It is all I wanted, and I am so very happy. I get to meet my granddaughter! Having Ben here makes it so complete, he isn't just 1/16th of the kids....he makes it like it used to be. He is just one of those kids....it just seems so right to have him lounged on the couch. He calls Evelyn, "corndog", and Jonathan, "dog", and Emily, "beer".

So if the internet co-operates perhaps I will update here more often. Tomorrow I have to get up and take Paul to the airport, then go to church. Monday Abigail has the day off work, so we are doing something together.

Life is good.

thankful

I am attempting to write this on my phone because our internet is horrible lately. We had our turkey dinner today. I had only a yogurt for breakfast, and some almonds, then took my walk in the freezing cold..only in the twenties. Then I took the kids to the pool. Home and.oops. bbville chocolate chip cookies.three. dang! I got too hungry and stopped caring! I took it easy on the pie, but darn it was good. Chocolate and lemon meringue and pumpkin and aple and blue berry. Homemade whipped cream. But. I am done now. No more junk. I hate writing on this phone. Anyway, Ben IS coming home for Christmas! Thank you grandma for helping! We are thrilled! He is coming on the 23rd. And that's all for now....

snow snow snow....

The little girls had a special after-school snack today, fresh baked brownies, hot tea, baby carrots, Doritos....they were pretty thrilled when they got off the bus and found their little table all set for them.



After their snack, they bundled up to go out and play in the snow with Jonathan, and the puppies. They sledded down the slide, and slid pretty far across the back yard. They stayed out long enough to get nice and cold.

Dinner is in the oven, all finished and ready to eat. Roasted chicken thighs with southwest marinade, baked brown rice with butter and pepper, and veggies. And sweet potato soup, thank you Mirielle.

We are waiting a bit for Paul to get home from work. Nine of the kids are here in the living room. I caved and broke my No Decorating For Christmas Until After Thanksgiving rule, and put clear lights in the living room windows. It makes it cozy and festive in here when it gets dark out.

Yesterday I shopped for the Thanksgiving meal which we are having on Friday, and the brunch for Thanksgiving day. Brunch: homemade waffles or crepes with rasberries and whipped cream, honeydew, cantaloupe, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, cinnamon rolls, orange juice, and of course coffee. Emily will be working a 12 hour shift, but we will save her a plate.

So we are all prepared to be together for this holiday except for Benjamin and Ashley and baby Anya....it made it easier to bear Thanksgiving without them knowing they would be home for Christmas...but it is looking less likely. The Army hasn't given Ben firm Leave dates yet, so he hasn't been able to purchase tickets yet....and the tickets are $1200 each now. And, he says he needs one for Anya, which I find hard to believe, she is only 6 weeks old. I am really hoping they can make it home. And wondering why the Army can't just be a bit more helpful to these poor guys. If he had known a month ago, he could have just bought tickets for three or four hundred dollars. rrr.

Anyway, I am still hoping they make it home so I can see that baby, and spend some time with Ben and Ashley.

And...it is time to get that food on the table now.

snowy monday!

General Thunder wants in!

The backyard looks so desolate with the naked trees....

I had to shovel the driveway this morning, at least a path...the school kids could have done it, but they were getting ready for school, and I really enjoyed it. It was only 20 degrees out there, and of course I brilliantly put on my boots and...sweater. No mittens. My hands really hurt as they thawed out after coming back into the warm house, oops.

So winter is here in central New York state. We live right in the path of the lake effect snow from Lake Ontario. A few winters ago, our little town got over 200 inches of snow. More snow is coming, along with icy weather and wind. So, since Thanksgiving is Thursday and I need to bake pies...I need to go to the store and get butter and flour and milk and a few other things, so today it is. Winter really complicates things. Mirielle works at a hospital really close to the lake, in a small city that gets absolutely hammered with snow, so believe me that I am praying for her as she commutes. She is a really careful driver, although she did put a dent in the car at the gas station the other day, and darn it I wasn't there, she said it was so embarrassing yet funny.

Anyway. Snow on the ground changes the lighting in the house, brightens it up, and makes it look festive in here...makes me want to decorate for Christmas, but I hold out until after Thanksgiving. But I am going to put some lights up:)

We had an excellent church feast yesterday. I helped Emily make the dinner: Turkey and stuffing and gravy and mashed potatoes and green bean casserole with freshly made batter-fried onions, rolls, black olives, cranberry sauce...she had three of the youth boys helping out, and it was so much fun. They made dessert shooters, pumpkin ones with pumpkin pudding and spice cake and whipped cream, then chocolate with chocolate pudding and chocolate graham crackers and whipped cream. Evelyn and I peeled 40 pounds of potatoes:)

I am seeing things in here that need to be done, perhaps I will move the couches and clean under them today, as well as wash the curtains and the couch covers. Dang it I need two of me.

So, having Paul home: can we just say that I am still totally in love? When we hugged at the airport, seriously, I didn't want to let go. Just having him around again, we keep looking at each other, and yeah, there is still that spark. Too bad he's only here until Sunday, then he's off to France for two weeks....

catching fire, ooh yeah!

I did read the "Hunger Games" books. My daughters prattled on and on about how good they were, but I was skeptical when I settled in to read the first one. It was written for young adults, and I was prepared to not love it. Well, surprise me! I loved it! I read the second, and the third...and when the first movie came out, we pre-ordered tickets and sped through the line, and oh my we enjoyed that movie! I mostly enjoyed that my girls loved it so much, but it was fun. Anyhoo....the second book has been made into a movie that came out last night. And, since my middle school girls have a half-day today...I am going to surprise them as soon as they get off the bus, by taking them to see it!

So I left the house this fine rainy morning and went to the pool. I think I should be at least five pounds lighter just for the extreme mental effort it took to convince myself not to just sit in the quiet before the homeschoolers woke up, sit and relax. The pool was wonderful, and I am always glad when I battle those lazy thoughts and get out the door and go.

Even though I certainly didn't lose five pounds by going, it is healthy to move, keeps the blood pressure down, ect.

Have I mentioned that I miss Paul? yup. Really badly.

I haven't done this in a while....:

Emily Anne...she is doing well. She has her four year degree in nursing now, and is continuing to take classes toward being a Nurse Practitioner, while working full time at a big hospital on the med-surgery floor. She is such a blessing, she is so good to her siblings. She is working at the Dome tomorrow, then letting the little girls spend the night at her house.

Abigail Marie...her knee is slowly recovering from the surgery. She goes to physical therapy and works out and does her exercises religiously, she really wants full mobility without pain. She is also a good sister, she is Jonathan's best friend.

Benjamin Paul....he texts me quite a few times a week, I talk to him sometimes. He is still in the Army, still in Washington state, hoping to come home for Christmas even for a few days even though the tickets are almost a thousand dollars and he doesn't know his exact dates yet. I told my older kids not to get me anything for Christmas, instead pitch in and help Ben and Ashley come home. I miss them, but mostly, sorry Ben, but mostly...I want to meet my only grandchild, little tiny Anya Jade.

Mirielle Joy....she is working 12 hour night shifts as a registered nurse at a smaller hospital up north, and really enjoying it. She sleeps during the day, good thing she isn't a light sleeper:) She is planning to take Kathryn to Norway and Spain in April.

Joseph Michael....he is taking online art classes. He is SO talented. He is a good kid, too, always so respectful, and he does so much for the younger boys in the church.

Aaron Royce....Aaron works night shifts as an R.N.too, at the same hospital as Emily. I don't see him much, but when I do, it's so nice. He is a smart cookie, already taking classes towards his four year degree.

Mali Rose....she is in nursing school, plus working part time at a local hotel as a receptionist. She is working really hard, and doing quite well in her classes. She lives with Emily and Abigail, and I don't see her enough.

Samuel James....Sam is in his senior year of high school, graduating in January. He is already signed up to leave for basic training in the Army, probably before spring of next year. He is like a big teddy bear. A smart teddy bear, with a huge soft heart. He can be gruff, but he is so stinking sincere and sweet, it kills me to think of him as a soldier.

Margaret Cheryl....Miss Margaret is in 11th grade, and she gets excellent grades in school. She works hard, she eats extremely healthy, she works out every day. She goes to the youth meetings and fundraisers at church, and is really involved in the music. She is teaching herself Norwegian, and is aspiring to go to Norway next summer.

Kathryn Grace....my tenth grade homeschooler. She is extremely diligent. She works hard, goes above and beyond, and takes good care of herself too. She works out every single day, and takes good care of herself. She gets frequent headaches, poor girl. I am very proud of her though, she had good reasons to want to homeschool, and she is really doing well. She keeps herself on the straight and narrow, not because I Said So, but because she wants to live a good and pure life.

Evelyn Joy....Evelyn...oh Evelyn. She is so brilliant! You wouldn't guess she is only 13, she reads stacks of books every week, and knows so much about everything. She is a force to be reckoned with when she wants something accomplished. She knows how to clean a house, and how to cook....

Suzanne Eleanor...Miss Suze...she is doing well too, getting good grades, working hard, staying up all night on weekends to watch, "Harry Potter".

Sonja Kathleen....Sonja K., or Ginger....she loves being on someone's phone or tablet. She is also doing well in school.

Jonathan Robert...Mr. Homeschool. He just ordered a keyboard case for his tablet from Amazon. He is so into electronics, and loves learning about all sorts of things, and is so very excited that Grandma is sending him this year's Hess truck.

Charlotte Claire....little miniature teenager, Miss Char. She still plays dollhouse and dolls and house and loves to color and write books for Mommy.

Camille Anaya....this little one enjoys the same things as Char does, but she is a bit more mommy-orientated. She loves to snuggle, even though she is getting big for my lap.

And...a picture of the five-girls-in-a-row.....Margaret 16, Kathryn 15, Evelyn 14, Suzanne 12, Sonja 11.