summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

a new day...

I hope I never lose my joy at the prospect of a new day....an empty slate. I walked down the road today and marveled at the changes already, as we move towards autumn. The crackly leaves in the road and the parched corn still waving in the breeze...the sun is lower in the sky, and even in this heatwave, there is that fall feeling: dismal forebodings of winter.

This fine morning, three of my daughters got on the school bus...I swept floors and cleaned up, made a fresh pot of coffee...then welcomed little Davian, who came over to spend the day with us. He is sitting on the couch with Charlotte Claire, singing, "Let It Go", with all his heart as they play with the Elsa and Anna dolls. They have finished reading a huge book about space exploration. I am so thankful that it works for him to come over here. The girls, my babies, just grow up right before my eyes and take care of him, play with him, treat him so well. They just love him...and so do I. Jonathan is a natural nurturer, he really likes the little ones. And having little ones around just brings joy to the house.


Yesterday, we had lots of joy! Kim, my sis-in-law (the one with 12 kids, who also homeschools her youngest two and two of her older ones), met me at the library...then joined us for ice cream, then came here for a swim...with three of her homeschoolers and her little one year old grandson. The pool water was so amazing on such a hot day, grandson took a little nap in her arms in the water!

When my three Real School kids came home, they asked if we could go and get their school supplies. Oh, they had pens and notebooks, but you know how school is, they need highlighters and folders in different colors and 3-subject notebooks and book covers...the older kids used paper bags to cover their books, but whatever. Kathryn agreed to look after the younger ones, and off we went to Walmart...with Evelyn Joy behind the wheel.

She is gorgeous, Miss Ev. Or Bev, as Mirielle calls her. This is her with Cam when we went to Lake George...
Driving with my kids is challenging for me. Evelyn is my eleventh child...my eleventh driver...and it hasn't gotten easier for me. I hold on to the dashboard, and pump my invisible brakes. She has only driven a few times, and omg, it's scary. She's not a bad driver, she's actually pretty good, but...never mind.

And, speak of the devil, she just called from school not feeling well, and second day, I have to go pick her up...never a dull one...

5 comments:

SE said...

I just found your blog after losing my bookmarks for a couple of years!!! I didn't realize they were all saved after signing into Google. COOL. I can't wait to be able to sit down and catch up on your beautiful family! :) Do you have a facebook page?

Marilyn said...

Hi..........I just want to ask you something about your no carb diet. I started this last week on the advice of my daughter who is a triathlete. She has been on it for a long time on the recommendation of her coach...... as have her team mates........and has lost weight and trimmed down a lot. I lost 6 lbs in the the first week!! I think you are looking fabulous I might add. Anyway I am plodding along with it. Sorry to put this on your blog........I hope you don't mind. Your children are all lovely and I think you are amazing to be home schooling them. Davion is a darling for sure.

Marilyn from Canada

16 blessings'mom said...


SE...Sarah? Suzanne? Samantha? You can email me at dellamom16@yahoo.com for my facebook page. Marilyn, I don't mind you asking at all, although I'm not sure what the question is:) I am not just eating low carb, but high fat also. Moderate protein, ideally. I have coconut oil in my morning coffee, butter in my afternoon tea. I try to stay ketogenic, if possible, but it is challenging to eat enough veggies to get those nutrients. Paul makes these awful but amazing smoothies every night, and leaves one in a travel mug in the 'fridge for me to have for lunch each day...with avocado, coconut milk, flax seed, and lots and lots of greens...kale, and dandelion greens, spinach, ect, and berries. They are green and swampy, but not too bad. I have only lost 13 pounds since the end of April. So four solid months, that's only three pounds a month. But, my lab numbers were really good, and I feel good. I occasionally "carb up", but other than that I don't cheat, as my sugar cravings are really under control with this way of eating. So though I would really like to drop fifty or more pounds, I am still happy with how I feel and how in control I am of what I put in my mouth. My body is very resistant to losing weight...it doesn't take much to gain back a few pounds, and it's hard work to get it back off...the 13 pounds isn't just that I lost 13 pounds...I actually lost like fifty...lost a few, gained one back, lost a few, ect. It has been hard work, and the NET loss so far is 13 pounds. (all together in the last few years, I have lost 70-ish pounds) (I am actually down 80 from the highest I was, not including pregnancy weight...in that case, I am down 90:))

Thank you for the compliments by the way, and good luck! Read what you can about keto diets, if you go too low with the carbs make sure you add some healthy fats.

Della

Marilyn said...

I guess I meant to ask the question of how you are doing on it? How you find it......is it hard to be on fora long time. BTW..... 13lbs down is better than 13 up :-) I am hoping for a pound a week once the initial shock to my system is over. It is VERY hard to loose weight......and even harder to keep it off. My daughter has a carb binge once in a while, then back at it. If your blood work is better then it is certainly is worth all the work. Keep on plugging along......me too!!

Marilyn from Canada

16 blessings'mom said...

Marilyn, it IS VERY hard to lose weight! My body just likes where I am. And it isn't because I am cheating. Honestly, eating keto is the most satisfying diet I have had, because...well, because it satisfies me. It doesn't totally take away cravings for cupcakes and ice cream, but I no longer feel like I HAVE to have junk, nor do I think about it all the time. I feel more grounded, more fine-with-eating-healthy. And, my hot flashes are gone:)
Good luck to you, and keep me updated! I hope it works well for you. The shock to my system in the beginning was horrific, I thought I was dying: the dizziness, nausea, ugh. But it gets better, and I do feel good.