pictures from saturday at home...

Suzanne Eleanor in a very elegant ensemble, featuring a bedskirt and Salvation Army store shoes.

Suzanne with Charlotte Claire

This was the Friday night treat for the kids who didn't go to the youth conference....paint brush lollipops to dip in sugar "paint"....yuck to me, yum to them....(I got them half price and hid them in the cupboard 'til we needed a treat)

Evelyn Joy in a lovely bedskirt gown..

Suze in her shower curtain dress....


Kathryn in a simple sheet design....

Suzanne....






Husking corn in lovely dresses....

Kathryn....

I love summer in central New York...

Camille is ready for work! I think Jonathan took this picture....

There are advantages to letting the kids use my camera...when I put up pictures, I find all sorts of things. The disadvantages are they run down the batteries, fill up the memory card, and drop the camera. Usually with the lense out, which hasn't happened YET to this camera, but it is probably its destiny......

If anyone (Holly) has a personal note or something to discuss, I would be glad to converse via dellamom16@yahoo.com Holly, I do understand your concerns, your observations are right on. Please email me....

We have sucessfully stayed home this weekend, so far. Except for Paul and Jon, they took a trip to Walmart yesterday. Surprisingly, I did not feel like going. What??? I just didn't want to....they got 23 cases of soda for the upcoming church soccer weekend, and a few school supplies. The kids need so much stuff! One teacher asked for eight gluesticks and 48 pencils! The kids are making a big mess right now, into the extra supplies....they also have construction paper...so they are creating masterpieces....

They want to go somewhere today, a playground or something. I don't know, it is nice to stay home. We didn't have church today, as the youth conference is going on still.

Well, things and kids need attention....and I just want to say that I truly appreciate the comments you leave. I try to be real about how life is here without infringing too much on the privacy of my older kids. A few of them are pretty touchy about this blog, and insist that I spell their names differently on here. They are good kids though.

saturday morning with no plans....

It has been an uneventful morning. I dropped a cup that had two layers with glitter between, that was a mess. I changed a diaper, fed and played with Rosie, cuddled the kitty. I made a pot of coffee and spilled coffee grounds all over. I found baby ants on the counter, sprayed them and cleaned up the mess. We put out some ant traps, and Rosie eats them.

I have been reading alot of blogs written by mommies. I really enjoy it. But I am feeling more and more in the minority. It seems like everyone is so into schedules and routines. I hate routines, but I guess in our own way we have some semblance of one. We always clean up the house first if we decide to take off on an adventure...well, usually. I try to divvy up the chores fairly, so no one has to do the same job too many times. I usually just ask different ones according to what makes sense in the moment. We DO eat together every night, even on the busy nights. And we do tuck the kids in and pray with them, after reading stories. But the rest of the day, especially during summer, is free. Oh, sometimes I'll gather them up and tell them it is time to clean up the yard. Yesterday, I decided to empty the hot tub, polish and buff it, and refill it. I didn't even ask for help, but Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, and Sonja came along and helped me bail out the water.

I just like spontanaeity, my favorite word which I mispelled. School starts next Tuesday, and it breaks my heart to send all the kids off. I know everyone is different. But there is just this awful spirit out there that wants things eaisier or smoother, even at the expense of sending the kids out the door......I don't sent my kids to school to get rid of them, but because right now it seems to be the best thing for us...but that is a whole different story...anyway....when we were at the kindergarten thing the other night, the teacher, who I previously loved, stood there and and remarked to all the parents how long the summer has been, and how she knows the parents really are looking forward to school starting....we were dumbfounded at the parents nodding their heads in agreement. Right in front of the kindergarteners....do they think the kids are too stupid to know what this means? That they are trouble, work, bothersome? Paul and I really kicked ourselves later that we didn't speak up. I was also privy to a conversation between a mom who was rejoicing that she finally was putting her last child on the bus to kindergarten, after NINE LONG years at home. She was conversing with a pregnant woman, and she actually apologized for being so happy, seeing that the pregnant woman still had a few years left.....ouch. Ouch for the kids. I would rather have mayhem and spills and messes and noise and those crazy projects they like to do, than send them off to school. Oh, I don't mean I like screaming or fighting, no, my kids have their "inside" voices, and they cannot jump on the furniture or eat in the livingroom. But they are my heart's delight, I enjoy them and love them and no amount of quietness or routine can make me glad to see them walk out that door.....

When the older kids go to school this year, Abigail will start her job (yes, she got a job, first interview, great offer, health benefits...), and I will have Mirielle here, who is looking for a job, and soon Joseph will be home, I don't know what he will do....and the two little girls. I will give them their naps everyday after lunch, like always, but other than that....we will just go with the flow.....and if we go out and about and they miss a nap, we will just have to put them to bed earlier and try not to do it two days in a row....

I am certainly not implying that I do things the right way, or anything like that. It is just a personality thing, and I don't like shedules. I don't know why, since I am like a rat in a maze when I go into stores, always taking the same path....but map out my day, and I feel claustrophobic.....

There is something in us that likes to have things under control. And when there are many children, that gets more difficult. Things happen. Things can get crazy. Sometimes multiple things occur at the same time, and it seems impossible to deal with everything, and every conversation is interrupted.....and we want things under control again...so we try. And it doesn't always work. What then? Well, I believe in God. I believe that he causes all things to work together for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose....(romans 8) What in the heck does that mean when it is crazy and I am really getting impatient? Apart from schedules, or routines, or certain ways of doing things, I think there is a real need, especially for mommies, and it isn't just learning to count to ten before dealing with a crying kid. We NEED to realize the magnitude of the way that Jesus made for us. We need to realize that when we are crushed and at our wit's end, then God can begin to work in us. He wants us to acknowledge our sin. He wants us to be humble, so He can give us grace. No, our plans don't always work out, but He does have a grand plan. For us to be saved during the day. So that where there was anger and roughness, there can be goodness and gentleness. He wants to give us the virtues. So that come what may, we can be happy people, rooted and grounded in love.

People try all sorts of things to make life good....which is neat, because God has given us such freedom, and so many different personalities....but He also has given us such a great way of salvation.....a way that isn't stiff or difficult, but full of freedom, from our own sin, and all that binds us. And that is all I am going to preach for today......

Because: the girls are making breakfast, Camille hit Charlotte Claire, Rosiepup is barking at the neighbors.....and Camille is crying about something....so, mommy needs to start being a mommy again, and not a preacher.....I need to go live my own exhortations.....yeah, practice what I preach....

brilliantly beautiful day....

Here is the crew that went to Darien Lake in our van. Me, with my arm around Evelyn Joy, Renee, our sweet friend from Detroit who is spending the week with us, Aaron holding his backpack, Sam next to him, Mali next to him, Margaret, Kathryn, Mirielle, and Abigail...then Camille in the stroller, Suzanne next to her, Sonja K., and Charlotte Claire, and then Jonathan in front of Mirielle. I still can't get over taking 15 people for $29.99. Worth every penny, it was.

Camille at the water park area in her polka-dot bikini. How come bikinis look good on chubby toddlers?

Such a sweetie pie.
Charlotte Claire...she has a sticker on her leg, and numerous hair-ponies on her wrist. Fashionable girl.

And such a pretty smile!

Cheryl, do not kill me. I think we look great in this picture....just relaxin' by the water.....my only sister and I. She also brought a van full of kids, 6 of her girls, her grandson, and her grand-daughter. Her Claire had to get home to do college homework, so we worked out a plan...she took my Charlotte Claire and Camille home in her van early, and left her sweet grand-daughter Grace, and her daughters Janet and Ellen with me. (we know how to squish)...that made it nice, because the little girls were tired, they conked in her van. I love them dearly, but it made it so much easier to go on the rides with the other little ones when they left.


We went on the huge high ferris wheel, which scares the daylights out of me. Grace was not scared at all. She stated that it is not fair that little kids aren't allowed on the rollercoasters. She is fearless, and so cute it isn't funny.

Abigail looking down....you can see for miles up there, it is beautiful. But scary...if you ask me.

Renee with Suzanne. Renee had never been to a place like this, and she was a real trooper about trying things. She enjoyed herself and was such a joy to have along with us.







Suzanne.

It IS a huge ferris wheel.

Grace and Janet on the merry-go-round....she is such a pretty little girl. I have a special attatchment to her, I saw her be born.....I love her like she was mine.

Mirielle, Jon, and Abigail on a ride I didn't go on.

Grace, Janet, and Sonja.












We basically split into two groups...the others (Aaron, Mali, Sam, Margaret, Kathryn, Ellen) were the rollercoaster/scary ride group. Here is our group, Mirielle, Suzanne, Sonja, Grace, Jonathan, Evelyn, Renee, Janet, and Abigail. And me, the photographer.....the kids had lots of fun trying to scoop coins out of the fountain without falling in, they were throwing the coins back in.....then a mean security guard came over and yelled at them, accusing them of taking the money....boy, give some people a little bit of power. Anyway, we stayed until too late, had too much fun, too much cotton candy, and I had a hard time keeping awake for the drive home....

I started this post this morning, and had to leave to take Aaron for a job interview, a quick trip for milk and bread, and a stop at a local farm for sweet corn and apples. And here I am...now it is past lunchtime, and the kids are hungry and want to swim......

amusement park recovery...

Just a quick post...I have pictures this time, but I am way too tired to put them up tonight....we filled the van, 14 kids and me, and got in for $29.99. Sweet. And it was fun. The giant ferris wheel....oh, it was fun.....I am still dizzy....

rest time before dinner and kindergarten visit....

Our trip to the Salvation Army store was quite sucessful, according to this sweet little girl, Suzanne Eleanor..... Her gloves and heels were quite cheap, and very elegant....her dress is lovely too. It is not really a dress, it is a fabric-y shower curtain, the outer curtain. someone put it in my cart in BigLots a few years back. When we got home and looked through the bags, there it was, for $8. I never returned it, and Suzanne has discovered she can make several different dresses from draping it differently....After the thrift store, we stopped into Walmart, the 11 of us who went. I was a bit surprised when we were entering the store to realize that Suze had changed into her "new" heels. And I didn't realize she brought the gloves in until we were in the produce section, and I saw that she was wearing those, too.

Aaron is an excellent driver. But I swear I get more grey hair each time I am a passenger with a new learner.....at one point yesterday, he said, "Mom, would you stop!" I was like, Stop what? "Holding on and bracing yourself!" Today, he took a try at driving the van. He is doing pretty well.

This is for you, Joseph...Sonja with Kitten Force. She is well and healthy and fat and sweet. Kitten Force, that is....well, Sonja is too.


Kathryn Grace and Charlotte Claire.

I think we finished our school supply shopping today. I THINK. I hope. Jonathan's teacher wants him to bring two packages of washable markers. Hey, I have lots of other kids who need markers, I am only sending one. And two boxes of crayons, baby wipes, Lysol wipes, and a vinyl nap mat, which I bought for $8.88, now they went up to $13.88. ouch. And an art smock (old t-shirt), and glue sticks, and I didn't get the 4pack of playdough yet. So I guess I am not done yet. We have to go to the schoool in an hour or so for his kindergarten orientation. It is nice for the kids to visit their classrooms and see where they will sit next week. Wah.

We are having burgers for dinner, with tomatoes and pickles. And fresh veggies on the side. The kids had grilled hot dogs for lunch, I had a tomato sandwich. Joseph, we have a whole bunch of tomatoes, and it makes me miss you!

We took a nice cold swim in the pool this afternoon, and I feel lazy and refreshed. I could seriously take a nap right now. But then I couldn't start dinner and go over to the school.

thrift store day....

last night I dreamed I was all dressed to take the kids to the Salvation Army store, and no one wanted to go. So I decided to change back into my around-the-house clothes, and when I looked down, I had my nightgown on under my jacket. And no one had told me.

Anyway, they DO want to go with me, and are all excited. I hope we find some good things today. I really don't want to spend a lot of money, either. They make my head spin, taking them all shopping. They know it is bad to ask for things, so they just show me things. Every two seconds, they are showing me something. MOM, MOM, look at this. I say, "Honey, we do not need a sparkly light-up snowman." "Mom, I wasn't asking for it, I was just showing you!" I like it when we bring someone older so I can send them all over to the toy section and pretend I don't know them while I actually look through the racks a little bit.

Abigail is at a job interview! Oh, she looked so smart in her business suit. I hope she didn't get lost. She had to drive into the big city, as opposed to the smaller city we usually go to. I couldn't go with her and help her find it, or tell her what to say in the interview. I don't know if she knows it, but it is hard for me to let go.

Last night, the older kids decided not to watch a movie. If you haven't watched the movie, "Fried Green Tomatoes", watch it. It is soo good. The book was called "Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistlestop Cafe", by Fannie Flagg, and it was very entertaining too. But they opted to play a game instead. Abigail was mapquesting (did I verb that or what?!) directions, but Mirielle, Aaron, Mali, Samuel, Margaret, Kathryn, Evelyn, and their friend Renee played the game where someone else writes the name of a famous person on a paper and they tape it to their forehead....so each person knows everyone else's but not their own. Fidel Castro, Michelle Obama, Piglet, and Shakespeare, to name a few....they take turns asking one question at a time, a yes or now, about their person. I was pretty tired and wanted to go to bed, but I cannot convey how much it warmed my heart when Aaron asked me if I wanted to play. Sometimes I just get a glimpse of how blessed I am.

Of course this morning there are little papers with names on them all over, and they didn't rinse their bowls...Mirielle sliced apples and served caramel yogurt to dip them in. And they got into the apple pie that I didn't make.

Well, I owe Sonja a dollar so far this morning, she washed Camille up from her messy oatmeal while I sat here and typed....and a mess is waiting for me. Camille dropped the glass pepper grinder....so peppercorns and glass are decorating the tile on the far side of the table....

wow, busy day today...

It started bright and early because Rosie-pup had a very important date, with the vet. She cannot have puppies now, wah....but it seemed like the responsible thing to do...so...we dropped her off there, and went to the farmers' market for Concord grapes, apples, peaches, cukes, squash and tomatoes, yum. We then went to BJ's to get diapers and wipes in the big boxes. Then to the dollar store, where I miraculously didn't buy anything. Next stop, BigLots for some cheap snacks. And a cheap watch for me, I have been going crazy....I went in the pool one day last week, and when I realized I still had my watch on, I tossed it out near the fence....I wonder if Rosie got it....it was a Timex, if you're old you know they take a lickin' and keep on tickin'....but it is gone....I cannot function without a watch. Anyway....home.....then out and about again...I did go to the cemetary today to "visit" my parents, and yes, I cried my eyes out. The brilliantly beautiful blue skies with the fair weather clouds floating in the breeze....oh, it is so not fair.

We went to Kohl's for sneakers for Aaron, they were too expensive, wrong time of the year for sneaker shopping for us. He said he will make due for a while with the old ones. Then to the grocery store for just a few things, then to DunkinDonuts for a coffee, and a couple Chai Teas. Then to Blockbuster, then to the pediatrician for a dTap shot for Kathryn to get into sixth grade, state law. Then on to pick up Rosie from the vet. Then back to the dollar store to buy a leash for Rosie. Her other one is in Ben's truck. And she has to be restrained for 4 or five days while she recovers from her surgery.

So, home to cook chops on the grill. Mirielle made the salt potatoes and some yellow squash simmered with tomatoes, and fried zuchini. Paul, Mirielle, and Aaron had to go to a song mission meeting immediately from the table, and Abigail left with Margaret and Renee for a girls' gathering.....I was left with the clean up and the mayhem. Mali is here too, and she is starting the teeth-brushing fun for me....Camille and Charlotte Claire had big naps, rats, and are full of fun and energy, but Jonathan, Sonja, and Suzanne should start heading to bed. Tomorrow night is kindergarten information night, (like I need it, sending my 14th child to school), and classroom visitation. It will be special for Jonathan though, I need to see it through his eyes. Everything new and fascinating.

Tomorrow is Wednesday, which is half-price day at the Salvation Army store. Suzanne has $46 and requested to go there to look at the high heels. It is their favorite store. Purses, shoes, books. And we can actually afford them!

And, the day after that we have BIG plans!!!! We get to go to the amusement park after all!!! Listen to this deal: $29.95 per carload for admission!!!! I actually called and asked if a 15 passenger van filled with kids qualified, and the lady said YES! My niece also called and got the same answer. I guess when you pay the $8 for parking, they write how many are in your vehicle. One person per seatbelt, so we couldn't squish like 17 in. Anyway, we are excited. We are bringing our lunch and dinner, and snacks and drinks, which I bought today. Even if the park is crowded, it is a great deal, $2 each for all the rides and water park.....I might even try a roller coaster this time. hmm.

Today at the farmers'market, a nice old man who sells apples , whom I didn't know, remarked that my girls were all growing up. I told him I still had some little ones, maybe he was mistaking me for my sister who has seven girls, and he said, no, I remember both of you with your children, year after year....and he told me quite sternly to remember how blessed we are with all of our children, he wanted a family like that and couldn't have one. He was kind and sweet and I want to adopt him. How do I go about that? When I was a little girl, I wanted a gramma and a grampa so badly, like my friends had. They had all passed away. Except for my mother's daddy, who lived in Takotna, Alaska. I always hoped he would move back here and be my dream grampa, but he died quite a few years ago, and that was that.

Well, I need to get some kids in bed soon....and for some reason, I am a bit tired tonight. And no, I am not pregnant. Mali and Aaron begged me today to have another baby. We were in the waiting room at the pediatrician, and I was reading BabyTalk, and they started begging. They are pretty funny, PLEASE mom. PLEASE!....um, it is kind of awkward, guys, seeing that you are my teenage children, but I AM Trying! Well, not exactly TRYING, but, ever hopeful anyway....

I was sorely tempted to bring home two sweet orange tiger kittens from the vet's office. They are free to a good home. We do not need two sweet orange tiger kittens, and we speculated that that may just be the LAST straw with daddy. But, such blissful little kitties! It is probably a good thing that I am married to a sensible and practical man. And probably a good thing that he is also understanding of my LACK of sense and practicality.....but I don't want to push it....(but if he said yes (I did ask, and he just assumed I was kidding), I would SO go get those kittens...)

Oh yeah, and this evening has been a barrel of fun with Miss Rosie...she has barfed three times. She perked up for a little while, I took her outside, she went to the bathroom, came back in, barfed, and went back to sleep. Poor puppy. I have just been trying to make sure the kids stay away from her, because she has stitches and is probably pretty sore......