brilliantly beautiful skies

Here is our dog, Champ. He is very old, 14 and a half. He was Joseph's puppy, and Joseph used to used to hold him on his lap when he went on the swings, and just carry him around....and then he grew and grew into a big fluffy dog. His does not like to be brushed or groomed, but I snip him when I get a chance, to get those mats out of his long tangly hair. Champ, we thing, shouldn't be subject to another central New York winter. He is not an inside dog, either. We let him in, and he stays by the door. We always let him in when he wants in. He likes being outside. But it is hard for him to get up, and he shakes a little when he walks. He has started throwing up quite often. He is going deaf. I feel so sorry for him. I just can't bear to see him try to come up our deck steps in the icy wind that is coming soon....or run through the snow....is it more humane to have him put to sleep before his life gets too rough? What a decision. I don't want to see him suffer.

Here is the crazy Jonathan on his purple bike, with the new orange bike horn....

Here he is checking out the dead bird the nice kitties left on the sidewalk for us. Jon think it looks like a monster, because of it's legs. I told him it's a good thing the kitty got it before it grew too huge.....
Emily was cutting up the tree that fell down, and she found this Robin's nest, with eggs still in it.....the bad kitties probably got the mama bird back in the spring. Jon thinks it's cool, though....

Uh-oh, injury....just a small cut....little Miss Charlotte Claire took her shoes and socks off, and stepped on something. Lucky for us Emily the nurse is home today.....

Isn't this pretty? These pears are from the tree in our yard. The skins are too thick, and they don't taste too good....but we thought maybe we could peel them and do something with them....

Here's a trick: keep your kitchen/dining room table cleaned off, with something nice on it, like flowers....it tends to shift the focus a little away from all the other clutter....see the background? All the yummy stuff I bought that doesn't fit in the cupboard. And the doll stroller, and the bag of jeans that Sam outgrew.....

Okay, what's wrong with this picture? The wrong child is in the baby seat. Camille can pull herself up to standing now....and unfortunately Charlotte Claire thinks that is just plain wrong. She yells to me, "Baby, baby!!", and proceeds to push her back down where she thinks she belongs....is she just jealous, or does she really think she's helping keep baby down?

I just added this one of Evelyn doing her homework....

One thing: on a recent post, there was a comment that was deleted. I didn't do it. I more than welcome comments, and if you don't agree with me, that is great. I have been wrong about so many things through the years...I welcome any differing views. Oh, and I do apologize for saying, "too many people"...here in the house. I want to clarify that I love having all these kids. God sent them, true, but I have loved it. I enjoy them, get a kick out of them, wouldn't want it any other way. So I have been doubly blessed. I mean, what if I trusted God for sending the children as He saw fit, and I didn't really like babies?(Thankfully, I absoultely love them, if someone handed me a newborn, I would take it, and love it....I just have never met a baby I didn't want to steal....wait, I wouldn't really steal a baby....you know what I mean) Anyway, in answer to another question: will I have any more? Let me tell you, I would take another baby in a second. My body is a bit old, and a bit tired, and more than a bit stretched out, but you didn't need to know that, did you? But still, I would love one more. And one more after that....I don't think I'll ever feel done. But I am also open to my wonderful dr. and Midwifes' advice....so I won't be stupid, either. And come on, are you thinking, "BE stupid? You have already BEEN stupid?".....

I have been blessed today: two of my brothers have stopped over. Bob, my oldest, brought over some apples....and Tom, the next in line, stopped to bring his daughter some stuff....she is here to go shopping with some of the girls....so, I got to talk to both of them today, and it was nice. AND, I talked to my sister, and sister-in-law, and my younger brother on the phone today.....very lucky day.....

And now, on this brilliantly beautiful day, I have to go to the dreaded Walmart...or wherever else I can get some cheap sneakers for Joseph....he has been getting "unprepared" 's for gym everyday, which is totally unfair, because he can't help it that we haven't gotten him sneakers yet....I need to call the school, I guess......now I have to go see who I have to bring, and who is okay to stay home....and who will start dinner.....