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, November 9, 2022

well that was kind of sad...

 The blog is no place for politics, but I WAS hoping for a change in leadership here in NY.  The guy I voted for is a gentleman, he conceded the election and congratulated Hochul on her win.  It was a close race, at the end...52.5% to 47.2%.   

It does puzzle me:  do people actually like more laws and rules, and less laws for criminals?  hmm.

Anyway.  Today was a babysitting day, Kathryn and Darius had to take a little road trip for passport purposes, so Achilles and Rhys spent the day here.  

Reading to Achilles, one of my favorite books, Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel. 
Rhys was on the ride-on, trying to get on the ramp, saying UP, UP. So, I put her up, and down she went!

She likes the dogs...and Suri likes lying in front of the fake fireplace, that blanket was for the kids.
The Orange Guy on the dog's bed...
Sunny in front of the fire...

Sonja came home from her clinical, they love their Aunt Sonja!

Suri...it's a Lab thing...front paws on the floor, body on the couch...you can see her face is graying...she's ten years old now...
Rhys in the store yesterday...I got those cookies for the activity club girls to frost, with Camille's homemade buttercream frosting, and pretty sprinkles...
Camille's fajita soup, it was really good...perfect for a chilly autumn day.

Having two small children here for an entire day sure brought back memories, especially when Rhys followed me around wanting to be picked up.  It took me like five different attempts to make an afternoon coffee, then drinking it, ha.  It was COLD.  I told Camille, 20 years ago, I was in the thick of it...
Emily was 17...in high school, and she was 3rd in her class, she worked hard and was very busy with homework...
Abigail was 15
Benjamin was 13
Mariel was 12
Joseph was 11
Aaron was 9
Molly Rose was 8
Samuel was 7
Margaret was 5
Kathryn was 4
Evelyn was 3
Suzanne was 1 and a half
Sonja K. was 5 months old
(I would have been newly pregnant for baby Robert,who would be stillborn the next June, when Sonja was 13 months old, then Jonathan would be born the next year in April...then of course Charlotte Claire, and finally Camille...)

Anyway.  Nine kids getting on the bus in the morning, four at home, then nine getting OFF the bus in the afternoon, with after school snacks and homework and time to make dinner!  Yes, those days days were busy...

20 years ago...I was only 37, just a spring chicken.  I had no idea what I was doing, but it wasn't total chaos, because God is good.   

The kids grow up, and the challenges change.  We cannot all fit for Thanksgiving here, not 37 of us.  This year, Kathryn and Darius and Achilles and Rhys moved here from Salem, Oregon, and Samuel and Grace and Grant and Ruth moved here from Virginia.  That's eight more!

So, we decided to break it up a little, and it was painful.  I don't ever like excluding anyone, and my home is always open for children, especially grandkids.  So it's not like I wanted a kid-free Thanksgiving...it's just that it seemed like a fair line to to break things up on...I would host the single kids...Emily, Abigail, Mariel, Evelyn, Sonja, (Jon is in Germany, so not him!), Charlotte Claire, and Camille.   Then Mariel offered to have it at her house.  Margaret and Adrian and their boys, as well as Sam and Grace and their kids, were invited to Kathryn and Darius's house, then Molly and Josh and their little girls were invited to Mariel's.   Ben and Ashley are going to some friends' house, and Suzanne and Zech go to Zech's family's celebration, as do Joseph and Bethany.  

I'm the mom, and my soul, oh my soul!  I want to be sure no feelings are hurt, no one is left out, everyone has a place to go...but I have to let go.  I think they all know I love them, and if I could, I would keep having them all...I'd knock down some of these walls , take out a few bedrooms, make a huge dining/living area, and have them all.  

We ARE having a huge Friday-Pie Day, at Benjamin and Ashley's house!  I've heard some of the pie ideas...we don't do frozen pies, no sir, homemade all the way.  I've heard whispers of pecan, of lemon meringue, of homemade chocolate peanut butter, and of blueberry....okay, I may have started most of these rumors ha.  

I hope the part for the oven arrives soon!  

This Saturday, I am so excited, I am going to some wineries again, as I mentioned, in the beautiful Finger Lakes...yes, I am looking so forward to this. As with everything you say YES to, though, there will be things you have to say NO to, because you cannot be everywhere at the same time...but oh well.  :)

Anyways, things are going well here. We survived and thrived today.  The kids are so funny. They love to sing, which is lucky for them, because they have a grammy who loves to sing too.  I can sing a song about a diaper change (I changed FOUR poopy diapers today...phew!), and a face wash, and a wagging doggy, and anything that comes up.  I cannot sing WELL, in fact I'm terrible, and I am not just saying that...the older kids will mumble stuff like, "key change...", and I have no idea what they're talking about. I cannot hear it.  I can hear that I sing awfully horrible, but I sing because I'm happy, and the little kids don't mind.  

Ah well, time to get to bed.  I did have high hopes that our state would turn around, our country would turn around...ugh.  I hoped we would get a new governor who would NEVER mandate a vaccine, instead of one who cannot promise that.  (If you think these vaccines, which do NOT stop the spread of Covid, are harmless, do a little research...strokes, blood clots, heart problems...look into some of the European countries, being more open with the numbers and results...).   

Enough about that...money and power, the downfall of mankind, then the rest of us who just want to live our lives in peace and freedom....have a really good evening,  and...talk to God.


10 comments:

Cindy said...

I understand how you feel about the election. Seattle has a massive homeless problem, our gas prices are through the roof, there are no products on our store shelves, rents and mortgages are skyrocketing... and Seattlites voted in the same person who has been in congress for 30 years and has nothing to show for it! They voted for her again! Sigh. Well, enough of that. When I woke up this morning I told myself no matter who wins, God has a plan.

That would be hard to be separate for Thanksgiving! But it's understandable why you have to be. Maybe one day one of you will have a home to accommodate everyone!

Deb said...

We're stuck with our same governor here too. Considering how much people complain about him, I'm surprised he won. I guess smear campaigns really do work.

For Thanksgiving, is it possible to rent a hall or community room? Not the same as gathering at home, I know, but it could allow everyone to be together. We don't have nearly as many as you but we're already talking about everyone chipping in and renting out local community center for future gatherings. There is a decent kitchen, plenty of tables, extra space for kids to play and run around. Easy cleanup, and you have all day to hang out and have fun.

The picture of your black dog cracked me up. We used to have a German Shepard-Lab mix that did the same thing. LOL

Ugh, c*vid vaccines. I was not vaccinated when I landed in the hospital with it last fall. That whole event scared the crap out of me and the doctors were really pushing me to still get vaccinated. So I did, a month after I was released from the hospital. It made me SO sick! Oh my gosh it was just as bad as when I was in the hospital! I laid on the couch and cried for a couple days! And then everyone told me the 2nd dose would be a breeze, so I went ahead and got it. Nope! Sick as a dog again! I've said no no nooooo way to all the boosters they keep pushing. And people tell me now that my immunity was probably stronger after actually having c*vid than anything the shots did for me. UGH!

Michelle in FL said...

That’s unfortunate that your governor won again. I don’t understand how these people keep winning. I suspect some corruption of course. Anyway, that’s a LOT of people for Thanksgiving! Hope you all have a wonderful holiday. The Pie night sounds good too! :)

Cassandra said...

I am very upset about the election in Illinois. The large cities shouldn't get to decide for the rest of of us. Sadly only one thing seemed important to many people (a "right" that was just overturned) so they voted for tax increases, a man who locked our children in their homes while his children traveled out of state daily for fun and his family vacationed in FL, a man who is also a known tax evader and who just passed a law that will allow kidnappers, 2nd degree murders, assaulters etc out of jail for free with no consequences for not returning to court. As a single mom with an abusive ex...that terrifies me. If someone tried to break into your home and leaves, police can't chase them. I am not even making it pay check to paycheck currently-another tax increase is going hurt also. Not the place for politics I know but UGH people have to look at the big picture before voting.

I know its not easy being away from your kids on holidays. This is the 2nd yr I have to split holidays with my ex (my kids dread it). It isn't easy but I guarantee your kids understand they are loved and you would love to be able to do for all of them! Pie day sounds like so much fun!

Terri D said...

I don't live in NY but was also disappointed in the election. Sigh. 37 is definitely a houseful!! Nothing wrong with spreading the holidays out so you get to see everyone!! Amazing family!! xo

Unknown said...

Hi Della! I love the picture of Suri half on the couch……so cute ☺️ My Bindi is almost 9 and she’s quite white too! I would say that little Rhys is going to be a go getter……..soooooooo cute. Your Owl at Home book has been well loved I see 🥰

Yes it gets harder as the families grow, but the pie day sounds great! Oh yum!! Maybe you could use your church facility sometime. Maybe it would be just too big.

Yes you were one busy mumma when your family was growing up. My goodness. This is a funny story when my girls were growing up. My oldest girl asked if after school she could go to her friends house…….of course …..I knew the mother just from Brownies as I was the leader. Anyway, they both came to our house? I wondered why and my daughter said her friends mother told them to come to my house as she had just cleaned hers 😳😳😳 REALLY?? Can you imagine? Brahahahahahahaha 🤣🤣🤣 I have never forgotten that. Your kids are all comfortable at your house and mine are too and my grands as well. We reap what we sow.

Politics is a complicated issue everywhere I think. The old saying ‘ you can please some of the people some of the time and all of the people some of the time, but it’s impossible to please all of the people all of the time’. So true, isn’t it?

Well you have a lovely day……..well evening for you now. I’m roasting a chicken for supper with roasted veggies 🤤🤤🤤 It’s cold here today so nice to have the oven on………. it was -19C when I got up 🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶 I hope your oven is fixed soon!!

Ttfn……..👋

Marilyn from Canada 🇨🇦

Mari said...

We were very sad in Michigan too. We have to keep our Governor who many of us are not fans of, and some terrible proposals went through, one that allows abortion until birth. Sad, sad day. I feel like I'm living in CA. But God is in control. :)
You were very busy 20 years ago. I can't imagine. You did it and you are amazing!

Betty said...

I had sincerely hoped your governor would be defeated and new York would have an opportunity to return to the great empire state I grew up in. I suspect a lot of dead folks voted for her. At least here in Florida we have been blessed with a common sense true conservative. I was a bit depressed that the red wave has once again been a victim to fraud. If we can go to the moon why cannot we determine election results on election night? God however continues to be in control. Could you possibly rent your church for Thanksgiving? You do so much for them perhaps they would be willing to do this. Enjoy your finger lakes region I do miss NY wines, Niagara being my favorite.

Anonymous said...

I was so praying that NY would have a new governor! He is such a gentleman and Long Islanders love him. He lives 10 minutes from me and we were super excited. He carried LI abut Manhattan killed him. I don’t get it either but I trust the one who allowed this to happen. So thankful that I have my Jesus!
Judy

16 blessings'mom said...

Cindy, I did the same thing, woke up with that thought, but I did let myself get hopeful...Deb, a few people have mentioned the community center, it might be a really good option one of these years...we will see how our Friday Pie Day goes...I'm sorry you were pressured to be vaccinated, that's not very nice of them.
Michelle, I don't get it either, but chances are it's about money.
Cassandra, it's mind-boggling...criminals have more rights than regular people. And I'm sorry you have to be away from your kids on holidays. That's tough. My daughter has the same thing, she didn't have Lydia for Halloween this year...ugh.
Terri, I know...and yes, 37 is a lot!
Marilyn, it's sad when the pups start graying...too sad. That is SO funny, go to your house because hers was just cleaned! You probably had/(have) a FUN house anyway! Our oven is fixed, yay! A roasting chicken, mmm!!! And yes, politics, ugh.
Mari, living in California,I know! Such lawlessness, it's like were just careening out of control...
Betty, it's definitely a disappointment to have Hochul in office, ugh. And yes, we could probably do our Thanksgiving at church...but it's actually working out all right to split up, as we're still getting together for pie night...I think we're mostly all right with smaller groups. And Niagara wine, we went up to that region a few times to tour the wineries, they have some good stuff!
Judy, he IS a gentleman, he conceded the election so respectfully. I am thankful for Jesus too!