Happy Birthday in Heaven.....

My sweet sweet girl would have been five today.

Briona taught me to make the most of the life that you are given. Every day is a gift...share it with the people you love.

Take walks, jump in the leaves, play a board game, tickle, make bubble bath beards, and snuggle. Let them stir cake batter, or play in the sink. Do what Dora and Diego tell you to, and watch them smile. Take a minute to read that bedtime story for the seventh time,....

These are the moments that memories are made of.

Happy Birthday Briona Hope. I love you and miss you.

God is good. All the time.

She Loves Me.....She Loves Me Not!!

Ruby loves her Mama!

Clara....well...not so much!

My girls are as different as night and day. It's sometimes hard to believe they are growing up in the same house!

We went to a friend's birthday party the other day. I took too many of my children with me to take a camera, but my dear friend Anne managed to get some great candids of me (thanks Anne...blah!) and the kids enjoying the day. Poor Noah was home still on restricted activity, but GREAT NEWS!!! His latest CT scan shows that he has healed WAY ahead of schedule, and he is now allowed to resume normal activities! :)

Ricky, as usual enjoyed himself! As did Matthew. He LOVES jumping and bouncing, and there was a HUGE bounce house for him to play in! Emily's mom even kicked out all of the big kids so that he could have it all to himself for awhile. He was in seventh heaven!

Ruby arrived at the party dressed, but each time I saw her, she had on less and less clothing. I'm really going to have to keep my eye on that one!

This wasn't even the worst of it. She eventually took off her jeans too, and was attempting to take her diaper off. I told everyone it was because she is potty training....at least I hope that is why she has such a penchant for being in the buff lately!

Good news is that I finally found costumes the girls will wear without having a nervous breakdown. Not what I had dreamed of certainly...but at least they aren't dressing up in their brother's costumes! I got them both Native American Squaw costumes. Brown and made of fleece with a little fringe on them. No tulle, no wings, no glitter...no fun for mom! The saving grace would be that Ricky is being a cowboy, so now they are "Cowboys and Indians"!

Well...my MIL is supposed to come here on Wednesday. She is still imobile. Will be here for 6-12 weeks. I'm currently praying for serenity and grace.

The boys are busy busy busy. Matthew has a field trip to the Pumpkin Patch on Friday. Ricky is in Eastern Michigan's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat...Noah has decided he wants to go to Green Hills, a small indepent school that serves grades 6-12. It would be an amazing opportunity for him. We went to an Open House there yesterday, and even DH thinks it would be the optimal learning enviornment for Noah. He is currently working on his portfolio that needs to be submitted as part of the admission process...he's really enjoying it so far. I'm proud of him. He is really gung ho on getting admitted to this school, and it is no minor feat to do so! He and Ricky are both in Chess club again and hoping to be on Chess team for the state tournament in February. Kindergarten is as crazy as ever, but we are getting into the swing of things and really starting to get some learning going!

God is good...all the time.

I think I may be in trouble....

You know, they say to be careful what you wish for....once upon a time, I would wish long and hard for a baby girl. I used to dream of dressing them up in adorable clothing, playing with baby dolls, and the like. I never quite imagined what I would be getting!

My Clara is ALL girl...and not always in the good way. I mean the temper tantrums (shrieking, back arch, arms flailing, biting, and crying) and a mind of her own on what she will and will not wear. She has become obsessed with changing her clothes, weather be darned. She wants to wear what she wants to wear...even if it is three pairs of pants over one another, or as you will see by the picture....a bikini in October! She also has taken to deciding that we will go "bye bye" by getting on her sunglasses, her chosen outfit, shoes, purse, and baby doll in a baby carrier. Today she even brought me MY shoes and purse. Unfortunately I was sick with the flu, so her dreams of going somewhere were quickly squashed. She found the dollar bill in her brother's wallet and was trying to hide it in her bikini top! DH insisted that I get the camera...we couldn't resist!

Like I said....I think we may be in trouble!

Ruby on the other hand is much more subdued. Even tempered, and ever patient with her high maintenance sister. Where Clara tantrums Ruby rushes around looking for things to bring her to make her stop crying, saying in her best mama voice "Der doo do" (there you go) and then nodding her head up and down saying "Sess? Oday now?" (yes? okay now?) It makes me feel better...and she eventually finds something to calm her sister. I think she's earned her nick name of Lil' Mama. She loves it when I call her that...beams from ear to ear. She enjoys wearing pretty clothing as well....but always looks a wreck! I think she may take after her dear mommy....(poor kid) it's exhausting looking after Clara! Here she is helping me wash the dishes.

I swear her hair was combed at one point!

I'm still on my quest to find a costume that the girls will wear...so far no custom boutique Lady Bugs, Monarchs, Sugar Plum Fairies, Jewel Beetles will do...nor will any plain old Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty from the second hand store, or the fleece pink poodle costumes from Old Navy that I ordered. Thank goodness for Ebay and 30 day return policies....I'm beginning to think they may just go out as twins! Although I'm thinking they MIGHT wear the cute squaw costume I've seen on ebay. Those would be especially cute since big brother Ricky is going as a cowboy! Plus...no tulle, no wings, nothing that goes on their heads (we can do without the headband...) but only if I can acquire it cheap. I've been outbid twice tonight so I am going to bed!

God is good. All the time.

Ricky and the Ugly Dog Collection....

Yesterday was one of those days when it seemed as if every time I turned around Ricky was underfoot! It must have been the good Lord's way of reminding me I owed Ricky a post on my blog. :)

So here he is in all of his cup stacking glory, along with little brother Matthew (as Superman) and best buddy Dylan. My DH yelled about me letting the boys "waste" all of the cups, but he got them FREE at a rummage sale, and then proceeded to leave them on the front porch for a week. I didn't really think he was that attached to them! Even if he was, the time the boys spent stacking, re stacking, and working together was worth the grump or two. Look how sweet they look working together!

The Ugly Dog Collection....

Here are a few pictures of my ugly dogs that I am unwillingly collecting lately due to the car accident my MIL and her sister were in. They are both still in the hospital, and have several months of rehabilitation ahead of them. God forgive me, but I was hoping that our own DD (dear dog...not daughter) would soon be romping in the fields of Heaven...alas now I have two MORE dogs in my house! Thankfully the weather has been cooperating, and they have spent a lot of time out of doors. Puck, the ugliest of them all is actually beginning to endear himself to me! Matthew calls Puck "Punk" and seems to think we are going to keep him "foweva". I don' think that will come to pass...but I supposed stranger things have happened! Puck is pictured first, then Conrad. Please pray for swift recovery for my MIL and her sister!

God is good. All the time.

The Wheels On the Bus...

Okay...I just had to share this. I am so proud of my little man, and he was so proud of this project! He couldn't wait to open up his backpack to show me his "fanasee buss". I thought he was telling me it was a "fancy" bus, but then his teacher told me it was his FANTASY bus. He is the driver (I know the picture is blurry) and the passengers are all the people he would pick up if he drove the bus! He did all of the painting, cutting, and pasting all by himself!

I was going to take some pics of Ricky today, but then he crashed his bike into the wagon, and the wagon into the fence, and knocked it off the posts...did I mention that I have DOGS at my house right now!? Needless to say, when we were done fixing the fence, and rounding up dogs, I was no longer in the mood to photograph him! Aye....his post will come.

God is good. All the time.

Hospitals, School, and Cupcake Theives!

Hospitals

What an unpredictable start to the school year! My DH and two of my boys Matthew and Noah were in a terrible car accident last week! Poor Noah, he had gone up with Brian to work on Grandma's cabin drywalling, mudding, and the like, and as a reward for his hard work, Brian was going to take him to Mackinaw Island at the end of the week. Noah was really looking forward to seeing the bridge, the ferry ride, seeing the fort, and eating fudge...however on the way they were struck by another car and poor Noah ended up in the hospital with a lacerated spleen instead. Thankfully Brian and Matthew were bumped and bruised, but otherwise okay. Brian's mom has a broken wrist, a broken ankle, and five broken toes. Aunt Glenda was also injured. She has a fractured hip and knee. Noah is home now, but on bed rest for three more weeks, and then on restricted activity for four months. He is stir crazy already. Poor kid! Here is the little trooper in the hospital with his best girl bud Abi. They make a cute pair don't they?

Noah was the best patient ever. He asked the nurses lots of questions and listened while they explained things to him. He also complimented the kitchen staff every time they brought him a meal, one time quipping to a nurse "Your chefs sure must put their best effort into every meal, because everything has been so tasty!" Poor lady, she had a hard time keeping a straight face!

Thankfully through all of this, once again my friend Missy was around to save the day! She lives not to far from the hospital and was able to swoop in and pick up Matthew and keep him for a few days while Brian stayed with Noah. I made it up there Friday afternoon, and I don't think I took a real breath from the time of Brian's phone call, until I laid my hands on both of my boys. Matthew was worried I was going to make him go home when he saw me. He was thrilled to be staying with Missy. He thinks going "up north" means a trip to Aunt Mimi's house, and kept asking his dad when they were going to get to her house while they were at Grandma's. Hmmm...be careful what you wish for little man! Missy also kept Noah once he was discharged form the hospital for a couple of days until Brian could get his mom and aunt situated. Thanks Meems....you are the best!

School!

My Matthew started school on Monday! He was so worried about going...but he absolutely loves it! He thinks his teachers are the best, and really is enjoying all of the art projects and of course going to gym! He doesn't have school on Fridays, but this Friday I woke up to him dressed (in a pajama top and backwards pants) and ready for school! He was HEARTBROKEN to realize that he didn't get to go, but is looking forward to returning on Monday.

Cupcake Thieves

Well, these pictures aren't coming out the way I want them to, but you get the picture! Silly me! I left cupcakes from school on the counter. Ruby, my sugar mama climbed onto the table, up to the counter, and helped herself to the whole container! I was grateful for three things,

1. I actually knew where my camera was.

2. My camera had batteries in it....

3. Ruby sat herself in her seat before she started eating!

Clara had been busy admiring herself in her new Vintage Lucys outfit, but came running when she smelled the sweet smell of frosting. I need to add a forth item to my list...

4. Ruby actually gave Clara a cupcake! No tantrums!!

Ricky somehow managed to stay out of my camera's eye this week which is unusual. I guess I'll have to start snapping and dedicate a whole post to just him. :)

God is good. All the time.

Getting There....Almost

Well my classroom is almost ready. I'm not sure if I am or not! Just as I got into the grove of being home and managing my merry band of munchkins, it seems like it is time to get back to work! Aye...if only I weren't the one with the benefits! Last time I posted my room looked like this...

Now it is getting a little better. My lessons for the week are planned, MOST of my copies are made, but it always seems that there is one more thing to do, and I have the bad habit of getting easily distracted... Currently, my room looks like this...


Had a great day with the hubby today! Got a sitter...ran errands. Brian found a chruch pew at a recycle center that we are using to make a bench type table in the kitchen. He is such a genius sometimes! But, that same genius is now grumping for me to go get him some dinner, so I guess I will have to post more at a later date!

God is good. All the time.