Daddy's gone for the day, with the boys (except Jon), to a conference for boys in our church. Daddy is working in the kitchen there! Emily the nurse is at work, Abigail had to go up to her college to do some research, Ben is at work, M. is helping her cousin paint her house, so that leaves just us at home: Molly, 14, Margaret, 11, Kathryn 10, Evelyn 8, Suzanne 7, Sonja 5, Jon-almost 4, Charlotte Claire-almost 2, Camille Anaya, 5 months, and me, the young and beautiful mom. So, we did what every family with mostly younger kids should do: we went to the Chinese buffet for lunch. Only Molly and I were full price, maybe Margaret too. I tell the kids to only take a little, not to waste, and if they like it, get more. I only had one plate, then went back and got just a little more pepper chicken, I love it. Then some tea and some of those yummy pastry things. The waitress didn't seem thrilled to serve hot tea to all of us, but hey, I paid for this lunch.....It can be hard to get over that feeling of embarassment, going out with all these kids. People just look, I don't blame them, I would look, too. Anyway, the kids HAVE to have their hot tea, just HAVE to add those little sugar packets, and stir it up....and the oranges....they get our money's worth just in oranges. They do have some good table manners, all except Charlotte Claire. She kept standing up in her little wooden pull-up-to-the-table highchair, and laughing. For her, going bye-bye is fun, but all this sitting, no fun. She isn't such a big eater, either. So Molly had to hold her and sort of restrain her for the last bit, while the kids finished trying all they wanted to try....Charlotte Claire did a few of those shreiky screams she likes to do, and I saw a lady up by the ice-cream glaring in our direction. I gave her a sweet smile. I am not going to hurry (too fast, anyway) out of the restaurant just because of a little noise. I mean, this is not the Ritz. And let me say this: it was just delightful to walk away from the mess. Worth every penny.
Here in central NY, the weather is gorgeous. Sunny and mild. So of course we had to stop at the playground on the way home...and what did we see? Grampa! My husband's dad is home from Florida! He lives right next to the playground, and he was outside...we stopped to see him, and it was nice. He is eighty years old now....and still so cute and funny. Gramma won't be back in town for another month, as she is going to Europe again.....I don't know how they can be apart for so long....
So, the playground is the same as always, just a different cast of characters...that's what is seems like sometimes...I've been going to the playground with my kids for over 20 years now....but I do try to enjoy it with them. Jon was just beside himself with excitement. He did not want to leave, but Charlotte Claire was tired, and he himself had to pee so badly he was dancing....we let him do it outside, in front of the van...his sisters thought it was so funny, all the way home when they saw puddles, they said they were Jon's pee puddles....
I am guessing that Camille is coming down with something. Her baby cousin was here a few days ago, and came down with a fever that night. She was fussy at the playground, and seemed a bit warm when we got home. We've been healthy for a while, so I can't complain. I just feel so sorry for the little ones when they're sick. To me it says: stop doing what you think you have to do mom, and hold and rock these babies.
Today has been a very special day with the kids. We swept, did dishwasher, cleaned counters, washed tables, picked up, vacuumed, threw in some towels to wash, and dusted the coffee table before heading out this morning, and it is relaxing to sit here in relative neatness while the kids play, and the little ones nap...see, when they are excited to do something fun, I have to cash in on their enthusiasm a bit. Incentive. A few of them groaned when I started getting them working this morning, but I reminded them how nice it would be to come home to cleanness....they don't really care, they just wanted to go to lunch, and if it meant pitching in a bit, okay....
Saturday, April 5, 2008
my boys, too
Joseph, 16, Benjamin, 19, holding Mr. Jonathan, almost 4, Aaron, 15, and Samuel, 12 ...We assured them it was okay, their pajama pants wouldn't show up. Oh well. Yeah, and they would probably ALL kill me for putting this up here except Jon. Jon who loves his thumb.My sweet little Camille is waiting for me, so I will write about my nice visit to my sister's hot-tub, and my sister, last night, later. It was wonderful!
Friday, April 4, 2008
all of the girls
Aaron loves baby Camille. He would probably kill me if he saw this picture on my blog. A few of the girls, one in particular, but I'm not mentioning names, wouldn't like her picture here, either. So don't tell.
Molly holding Charlotte Claire, Mariel, Abigail, Emily with Camille and on the couch,Sonja, Suzanne, Evelyn, Kathryn, and Margaret...
hooray for the weekend
Friday means activity club for the kids, except Jon and Charlotte. Sometimes Paul and I get a bit of quiet with the 3 little ones, but only when Emily has Friday off, because then she can drive the BIG van and take all the kids. Abigail drives too, but not the BIG van. So, when Em works, daddy drives the BIG van, and I get to stay home and have some non-quit time with Jon, Charlotte, and Jon.
Today is an Emily-day-off, and it is nice!!! I let Kathryn, 10, and Evelyn, 8 skip school today to get some attention, and be with Em....Em took them all for a walk on this chilly, rainy day, with their umbrellas! Anyone who knows kids, knows kids like umbrellas. And sometimes the mom is too practical (or impatient) to let them get any use out of them... So, they walked in the rain. And then Em made some corn chowder, yum, while I mixed up some chocolate chip cookies quick. The school kids will love coming in the door through the rain, to find cookies. Save some for the second trip kids!! Right now Kathryn, Evelyn, and Jon are watching Monsters, Inc....we usually don't watch movies during the week, just some shows on PBS, like Bob the Builder, or Calliou....and a few mornings a week, Curious George and Berenstein Bears...but Kathryn isn't feeling so great, and I'm coming down with a cold or just plain tired or something, I'm welcoming the vegging....(is that a word? it should be).
I just plain don't like to see kids watch their lives away....there is just so much to DO! We have playdough, crayons, paints, dolls, 10-15 doll strollers, 4 or 5 dollhouses, and bins and bins of dollhouse people, and furniture. I love it when they set it up all over the livingroom. Or make a tent under the kitchen table. Or even play ship in their bunk beds....In the nice weather, no way are they going to be in here in front of the tv....we have a trampoline, which gets more use than I ever thought, a swingset, a sandbox (which needs new sand), and a huge pool for the summer. But sometimes, on a hot afternoon, when they've been going and going all day, a movie is nice. And on a Saturday night....a time and place for everything.
We didn't own a television until our 9th child was about 6 months old....My husband and I both grew up with them, but didn't want to raise our kids with all that garbage...but I think there is a middle road. My teenagers like American Idol, it's kind of fun.
My kids get teased on the bus...called Brady Bunch...and much worse. And get called Mennonites, and Amish, and comments are made about me...My oldest daughter on the bus this year just feels sorry for the kids who do the teasing, their homelives aren't all so good. These guys take it pretty well, and stand up for themselves. My girls all wear skirts to school. On gym days the little ones who don't change for gym just wear skorts. This is okay with them, they aren't kicking and screaming about it. My older girls have made it all through school wearing skirts, and they think it was good for them. They do wear pants when doing things that common sense would require pants, like outside stuff, and Ab wears them to college in the cold. Em is a nurse, and wears scrub pants everyday...but the skirts, I believe, are modest...it sort of protects the girls in a way, these are good girls. My daughters have noticed the difference in the level of respect they've received when wearing pants... I try not to have rules about things, but to encourage them to do what is good, pure, and right. And not to judge others who have the freedom of conscience to wear different clothes. The same goes for make-up. None of my daughters wear any. Nor do I. That does not mean they think badly of anyone who does. Anyway....part of me would like to pull them out of school, and hug and protect them from the awful world. But part of me knows that they need to learn to stand on their own feet, and learn to get along in this world. But I DO let them take quite a few days off to have time with me, and do fun things.
Today is an Emily-day-off, and it is nice!!! I let Kathryn, 10, and Evelyn, 8 skip school today to get some attention, and be with Em....Em took them all for a walk on this chilly, rainy day, with their umbrellas! Anyone who knows kids, knows kids like umbrellas. And sometimes the mom is too practical (or impatient) to let them get any use out of them... So, they walked in the rain. And then Em made some corn chowder, yum, while I mixed up some chocolate chip cookies quick. The school kids will love coming in the door through the rain, to find cookies. Save some for the second trip kids!! Right now Kathryn, Evelyn, and Jon are watching Monsters, Inc....we usually don't watch movies during the week, just some shows on PBS, like Bob the Builder, or Calliou....and a few mornings a week, Curious George and Berenstein Bears...but Kathryn isn't feeling so great, and I'm coming down with a cold or just plain tired or something, I'm welcoming the vegging....(is that a word? it should be).
I just plain don't like to see kids watch their lives away....there is just so much to DO! We have playdough, crayons, paints, dolls, 10-15 doll strollers, 4 or 5 dollhouses, and bins and bins of dollhouse people, and furniture. I love it when they set it up all over the livingroom. Or make a tent under the kitchen table. Or even play ship in their bunk beds....In the nice weather, no way are they going to be in here in front of the tv....we have a trampoline, which gets more use than I ever thought, a swingset, a sandbox (which needs new sand), and a huge pool for the summer. But sometimes, on a hot afternoon, when they've been going and going all day, a movie is nice. And on a Saturday night....a time and place for everything.
We didn't own a television until our 9th child was about 6 months old....My husband and I both grew up with them, but didn't want to raise our kids with all that garbage...but I think there is a middle road. My teenagers like American Idol, it's kind of fun.
My kids get teased on the bus...called Brady Bunch...and much worse. And get called Mennonites, and Amish, and comments are made about me...My oldest daughter on the bus this year just feels sorry for the kids who do the teasing, their homelives aren't all so good. These guys take it pretty well, and stand up for themselves. My girls all wear skirts to school. On gym days the little ones who don't change for gym just wear skorts. This is okay with them, they aren't kicking and screaming about it. My older girls have made it all through school wearing skirts, and they think it was good for them. They do wear pants when doing things that common sense would require pants, like outside stuff, and Ab wears them to college in the cold. Em is a nurse, and wears scrub pants everyday...but the skirts, I believe, are modest...it sort of protects the girls in a way, these are good girls. My daughters have noticed the difference in the level of respect they've received when wearing pants... I try not to have rules about things, but to encourage them to do what is good, pure, and right. And not to judge others who have the freedom of conscience to wear different clothes. The same goes for make-up. None of my daughters wear any. Nor do I. That does not mean they think badly of anyone who does. Anyway....part of me would like to pull them out of school, and hug and protect them from the awful world. But part of me knows that they need to learn to stand on their own feet, and learn to get along in this world. But I DO let them take quite a few days off to have time with me, and do fun things.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
molly's new glasses
Molly really wants contacts. I'm not so sure I'm ready for the expense, or that she's ready for the responsibility. The opthomologist doesn't believe contact lenses are healthy. So, I was nice and got her new frames for her new prescription. She had her old glasses for 2 years, and for a 14 year old, that must seem like forever. Just her, sweet little baby Camille, and I went to the appointment, and then on to the great and powerful Wal-Mart to get her glasses....and of course, a couple gallons of milk, some bananas, bagels, and popscicles. Our kids eat popscicles all year round, especially Charlotte Claire....Wal-Mart sells an 18 pack of two-stickers for $1.66....I also got a pair of sweat pants for Kathryn for $1.00....anyway, we didn't do too badly, as we were able to go through the 20 item or less register...and I would never cheat on that! As we got back into the truck (oh, I forgot, before Wallyworld we went through the McD's drivethrough for an ice cream, shh!), anyway, we got in the truck, and Molly said, "Well, we stopped and smelled the roses today, didn't we, Mom? We really know how to dawdle..." I asked her if she enjoyed our quality time, and she did. We had a great time together. I tried to use the time with her carefully, she tends to have low self-esteem. It takes a bit to get her warmed up, but then she started talking...she is a beautiful girl. It is very difficult to be a teenager in this world today. For a girl to keep herself pure, and be faithful to God is in itself a beautiful thing. I knew Paul was here with the others, on and they were fine, so we enjoyed ourselves. When we got home, dinner was on the table.
I liked the comments, it's neat that anyone reads this. It seems pretty boring to me....but, my kids are so cute. Nothing I've done, they came that way and just kept improving. Kathryn, 10, and Charlotte Claire, 22 months, are cuddled under a comforter. Jon, almost 4, Sonja, 5, and Suzanne, 7, are all tucked in to bed. Daddy read the Zoom, by Robert Munsch, about a girl and a powerful wheelchair...it's such a good story. Jon likes it over and over again. Jon is Mr. Hopeful, he always brings a whole stack of books for Daddy....
We had 16 deer in the backyard this evening. We've had them before, but not this many at a time. It was very cool. Our dog, Champ, is getting old, and his hearing is not what it used to be. A few years ago, he'd have been bounding out there after them...
My dear sweet husband is getting a new guitar. He ordered it, and can actually track the process of it's manufacture, online. He is pretty excited about it. I am glad he plays guitar, it seems to sooth him.
I wish my hobby and/or talent was cleaning and organizing the house. That would be neat if I loved it. I hate crumbs and clutter enough, but wish I had more of that nesting instinct energy day in day out...but then again, I did get outside with the kids today, in the sunshine. The grass is always greener....I think spending time with these guys is totally worthwhile.
I liked the comments, it's neat that anyone reads this. It seems pretty boring to me....but, my kids are so cute. Nothing I've done, they came that way and just kept improving. Kathryn, 10, and Charlotte Claire, 22 months, are cuddled under a comforter. Jon, almost 4, Sonja, 5, and Suzanne, 7, are all tucked in to bed. Daddy read the Zoom, by Robert Munsch, about a girl and a powerful wheelchair...it's such a good story. Jon likes it over and over again. Jon is Mr. Hopeful, he always brings a whole stack of books for Daddy....
We had 16 deer in the backyard this evening. We've had them before, but not this many at a time. It was very cool. Our dog, Champ, is getting old, and his hearing is not what it used to be. A few years ago, he'd have been bounding out there after them...
My dear sweet husband is getting a new guitar. He ordered it, and can actually track the process of it's manufacture, online. He is pretty excited about it. I am glad he plays guitar, it seems to sooth him.
I wish my hobby and/or talent was cleaning and organizing the house. That would be neat if I loved it. I hate crumbs and clutter enough, but wish I had more of that nesting instinct energy day in day out...but then again, I did get outside with the kids today, in the sunshine. The grass is always greener....I think spending time with these guys is totally worthwhile.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
part 2, daddy's home
I have a laptop computer, which I hibernate and return to its box after each use. I have to keep it safe. Which means I have to start it up again each time I use it. Today I have started it up 3 times....things happen, and taking care of kids can't wait. If I leave this on in my chair, what will they do to it?
I was writing about the non-stop party today. Jon and Charlotte Claire thought one of the empty toy bins in the living room would be fun to get into, on top of the mini trampoline. It sure looked fun, until Jon climbed out, knocking the bin off the bouncer, landing against the coffee table, pinning poor Charlotte's tiny fingers between the bin and the table....I pretty much dropped the computer, closing it, and went to her rescue. Some Veggie Tales fruit snacks, and a cuddle on my lap, and I was good to go again....then, I thought I heard Camille crying, so I closed it up again, gave Charlotte a few pretzels, because she never ate her eggs, and I didn't want to nap her on an empty stomach, then changed her diaper, gave her a bottle and put her to bed. Camille is still napping, so here I am. Ben is back from class, and 5 of the 10 school kids came home. It seems like every chore I accomplish, the kids de-accomplish(is that a word?it should be) something, so I either break even, or end up in the red. I feel like I am running in deep water, getting all tired out and not getting anywhere. But the kids are SO cute. Jon in his Spiderman underwear and football pajama shirt, in his own little world playing with his cars... And Camille: when she wakes up, my time-for-myself is over, but she is just delicious in her cuteness. Yesterday, I was changing her clothes, and she had just her onesie on. Joe, 16, and Sam, 12 were admiring her fat legs, and being amazed at how smooth and soft her skin is. She looks at them so innocently, all smiles and drool. I someday want to do a picture collage of just the boys through the years with the different babies. I mean, what could be sweeter than a teenage boy holding a baby, watching tv, and just subconsciously kissing the top of the baby's head?
Jon is happy that some kids are home from school, he is joining them for 1st trip afterschool snack. When the other 5 get home, he'll probably be snacking with them too. He only eats a little at a time...
On one of the larger families sites, the question of the month is about meal planning, and menus. By necessity, a family that feeds 17 mouths on a daily basis should have a meal plan. But what happens when that family is run by a well meaning mom who ususally has no idea what's for dinner until she moseys on into the kitchen, and stares from the fridge to the freezer a few times, opens a few cupboard doors, and then sends one of the kids downstairs for a report on what looks good from the big freezer? Well, this is what happens. They have spaghetti once a week. Sometimes with homemade meatballs (gold medal for mom), sometimes with frozen meatballs (silver medal), and sometimes with just some burger mixed into the sauce (bronze)...The sad night is the one where the mom doesn't know what to make, and the family already had spaghetti last night....rats! Actually, I know what we're having tonight, pork chops, because I bought them last night. 8 lbs for tonight, and 8 more lbs in the freezer for some other night. And we're having chicken thighs (94cents a lb) tomorrow night, with rice and vegetables...beyond that, its anyone's guess. Sometimes I take a few bags of cubed hash brown potatoes, and mix them with home-made white sauce, and bake them with left-over ham or some bacon strips on top...really good cheat-y scalloped potatoes. Oh, they need onions, too. Or a good meal is this: 4 cans of cream of celery soup, a 3 lb. bag of frozen chicken breasts...cook for a while, then remove the chicken one piece at a time and cut up, cook a bit longer, and serve with rice, or potatoes...or for some good, easy, chicken soup: put 3-5 lbs of chicken breast in a big pan with lots of water, cook for a few hours, cutting up the chicken at some point, add some carrots, potatoes, onion, celery, or frozen mixed vegetables and noodles.....I also like to make lasagna, I never cook the noodles first. I just use tons of sauce....I don't use recipes, except for baking. I like to read recipes just to get ideas, then just make it how it suits me. My homemade macaroni and cheese is very good. I make two 13by9 glass pans, and it usually gets "all gone" in one meal.
One of the absolute favorites around here is chicken fajitas, followed closely by tacos. Homemade pizza is good too. We eat alot of chicken, cheap and nutritious....and the kids eat a lot of cheese.
I bought so much clearance Easter candy at Target, my girls were laughing.... I must admit I like to embarrass them....It was 75% off, and everyone likes malted eggs, so for 49 cents a bag...My girls do "activity club" for the younger girls at our church on Friday nights, so alot of the stuff can be used for that. And my boys are always going out the door to one thing or another where there will be lots of kids, so I send with them with stuff to share. And its good to have some chocolate in the closet, for those afternoons....those tired, can't have a nap afternoons...also, at certain times, my teenage girls want chocolate, and my teenaged boys are addicted to it....and me: I don't dare open a bag of candy unless there are several kids around to share it with. It gets gone quickly, and that's a good thing....
I was writing about the non-stop party today. Jon and Charlotte Claire thought one of the empty toy bins in the living room would be fun to get into, on top of the mini trampoline. It sure looked fun, until Jon climbed out, knocking the bin off the bouncer, landing against the coffee table, pinning poor Charlotte's tiny fingers between the bin and the table....I pretty much dropped the computer, closing it, and went to her rescue. Some Veggie Tales fruit snacks, and a cuddle on my lap, and I was good to go again....then, I thought I heard Camille crying, so I closed it up again, gave Charlotte a few pretzels, because she never ate her eggs, and I didn't want to nap her on an empty stomach, then changed her diaper, gave her a bottle and put her to bed. Camille is still napping, so here I am. Ben is back from class, and 5 of the 10 school kids came home. It seems like every chore I accomplish, the kids de-accomplish(is that a word?it should be) something, so I either break even, or end up in the red. I feel like I am running in deep water, getting all tired out and not getting anywhere. But the kids are SO cute. Jon in his Spiderman underwear and football pajama shirt, in his own little world playing with his cars... And Camille: when she wakes up, my time-for-myself is over, but she is just delicious in her cuteness. Yesterday, I was changing her clothes, and she had just her onesie on. Joe, 16, and Sam, 12 were admiring her fat legs, and being amazed at how smooth and soft her skin is. She looks at them so innocently, all smiles and drool. I someday want to do a picture collage of just the boys through the years with the different babies. I mean, what could be sweeter than a teenage boy holding a baby, watching tv, and just subconsciously kissing the top of the baby's head?
Jon is happy that some kids are home from school, he is joining them for 1st trip afterschool snack. When the other 5 get home, he'll probably be snacking with them too. He only eats a little at a time...
On one of the larger families sites, the question of the month is about meal planning, and menus. By necessity, a family that feeds 17 mouths on a daily basis should have a meal plan. But what happens when that family is run by a well meaning mom who ususally has no idea what's for dinner until she moseys on into the kitchen, and stares from the fridge to the freezer a few times, opens a few cupboard doors, and then sends one of the kids downstairs for a report on what looks good from the big freezer? Well, this is what happens. They have spaghetti once a week. Sometimes with homemade meatballs (gold medal for mom), sometimes with frozen meatballs (silver medal), and sometimes with just some burger mixed into the sauce (bronze)...The sad night is the one where the mom doesn't know what to make, and the family already had spaghetti last night....rats! Actually, I know what we're having tonight, pork chops, because I bought them last night. 8 lbs for tonight, and 8 more lbs in the freezer for some other night. And we're having chicken thighs (94cents a lb) tomorrow night, with rice and vegetables...beyond that, its anyone's guess. Sometimes I take a few bags of cubed hash brown potatoes, and mix them with home-made white sauce, and bake them with left-over ham or some bacon strips on top...really good cheat-y scalloped potatoes. Oh, they need onions, too. Or a good meal is this: 4 cans of cream of celery soup, a 3 lb. bag of frozen chicken breasts...cook for a while, then remove the chicken one piece at a time and cut up, cook a bit longer, and serve with rice, or potatoes...or for some good, easy, chicken soup: put 3-5 lbs of chicken breast in a big pan with lots of water, cook for a few hours, cutting up the chicken at some point, add some carrots, potatoes, onion, celery, or frozen mixed vegetables and noodles.....I also like to make lasagna, I never cook the noodles first. I just use tons of sauce....I don't use recipes, except for baking. I like to read recipes just to get ideas, then just make it how it suits me. My homemade macaroni and cheese is very good. I make two 13by9 glass pans, and it usually gets "all gone" in one meal.
One of the absolute favorites around here is chicken fajitas, followed closely by tacos. Homemade pizza is good too. We eat alot of chicken, cheap and nutritious....and the kids eat a lot of cheese.
I bought so much clearance Easter candy at Target, my girls were laughing.... I must admit I like to embarrass them....It was 75% off, and everyone likes malted eggs, so for 49 cents a bag...My girls do "activity club" for the younger girls at our church on Friday nights, so alot of the stuff can be used for that. And my boys are always going out the door to one thing or another where there will be lots of kids, so I send with them with stuff to share. And its good to have some chocolate in the closet, for those afternoons....those tired, can't have a nap afternoons...also, at certain times, my teenage girls want chocolate, and my teenaged boys are addicted to it....and me: I don't dare open a bag of candy unless there are several kids around to share it with. It gets gone quickly, and that's a good thing....
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