Come on....

Give me some love ~ what do you think??

Whoo-hoo!! I *loves* me some FALL~

p.s. and thecutestblogontheblock.com rocks!

I need batteries

Hello world~

Actually, we have been having a great time together as a family. We've spent a lot of time outdoors (we love the fall weather MUCH more than all that hot summer stuff, ugh), mowing the lawn, preparing a raised garden bed for next year, making our fire pit all spiffy ~ and then putting said fire pit to good use!! (tonight it was S'mores ~ oh ya baby!)

I'v made some awesome meals, a few great desserts, been teaching my girls how to make up some fresh dinner rolls, and even planned ahead with this week's menus. I've been keeping up with (most of) my chores. The baby is getting bigger and getting mobile. My BIG baby turned 8 years old ~ WOW!!

And yet.....I can not share *any* of it with you.

I need batteries.

"AA" to be precise. 4 of them, actually. My digital camera is sitting in my kitchen, just begging to be used. I *so* want to snap some pics so I can share them with you here....then I remember.

So......I need to get to the store. We planned so well the last time we went to the store, I haven't needed anything else, hence no trips to the store. When you live 25 minutes from the nearest Wal-Mart, you just don't run out to pick-up some batteries.

But ya know what? We need milk. So tomorrow, I'm gonna send my wonderful dh to the store for milk & batteries. 2% and "AA" please. 4 of 'em.

(oh, and the baby's swing takes 4 "C")

Thanks babe~

p.s. I've been organizing too ~ trying to get the fall wardrobe's set. It can be difficult just keeping everyone's closet/drawers full of clothes that FIT. I have plenty of clothes, lots of labeled bins with varying sizes, it's just figuring out what is too small, too big, what actually fits......times FIVE!! Good thing I enjoy organizing.....;)

p.p.s. Since my camera is...ahem...unavailable, here's a pic of my beautiful Tali (4yo) from that photo class shoot thingy (this is what she looks like WITHOUT her thumb in her mouth ~ it's a rare sight indeed!! Click on the pic to get a close-up of her big, beautiful blue eyes). We're headed back to this same lady for an iStock Photo Shoot Monday afternoon (just Isaac & Selah this time). Hope to get some more great shots - the photographer lady - she's AMAZING!!

And Tali? Gorgeous~

a bit of nothing

Nothing to share.

We are simply enjoying our simple days before we start up schooling again.

Normally, we will be schooling year round, yet even in following that schedule, we will still have times "off" of schooling. The next two weeks are part of that.

Simple. Easy. Fun.

*and I am LOVIN' this cooler weather*

Let me know how YOU are spending your last few weeks of summer....

p.s. here in MI, our ps doesn't start until after Labor Day (which is awesome!), so we've got a few weeks left. I know many of you have already started your fall schedule....then let us know how the first few weeks are going for you~

a LONG teething-baby kind of night

Yup, nothing exciting going on around here today.

We were up quite a bit last night with one UNHAPPY teething lil' baby. I'm guessing it's teething - I've never seen him be *this* upset or *this* loud or *this* cranky. He is simply inconsolable!

So today, I am doing a whole lotta nothin'! I have two HUGE sink-fulls of dishes to tackle, plus some laundry, basic (very basic) child-care plus lots of snuggly-time reading & watching movies.

Sounds like a PERFECT Monday to me....

p.s. that pic up there is from quite a while ago.....yet it about perfectly captures our night last night ~ poor dude man.

a tornado warning

Hey y'all,

We had ourselves a little tornado warning in our county today. Actually, the storm in question was a bit north of us, so we were fine, but there were some other storms over us ~ I didn't take any chances. I asked each kid to grab a pillow and a small blankie and head downstairs to the basement. I stayed upstairs, with the baby in my arms, checking the weather channel radar and looking at the skies. (yes, I'm neurotic, thank you)

After one storm had passed, and another was on it's way, Isaac brought up some questions about sin, Satan, bad things that happen on this earth, does God always protect Christians, etc. It was really amazing!!

At public school, when there's a tornado warning, you get to sit in the hallway with a book over your neck, excited to just be out of class. Afterwards, 2nd graders don't really get to hash out their fears about God, sin, natural disasters, and Satan. Yet today, we were able to do just that. And while Isaac voiced his concerns and put into words some of his feelings, the little ones also got to listen ~ they may not understand everything, but they are getting introduced to some of this stuff just the same.

Amazing!!

**and no, I'm not saying public school kids don't get to have indepth conversations with their parents - of course they do - I'm just emphasizing one of the great parts of hs'ing: I'm right there, ready to listen when they have questions or concerns. We get to tackle the really tough stuff head on, right then, when they are thinking of it. I don't have to worry about who is answering these important questions when they pop up and I have less to UNDO, in regards to incorrect teachings they might pick up elsewhere.

I know we all have our reasons for the decision we have made regarding our childrens' schooling. I just know that this reason, being right there for the BIG questions, is a huge factor in our decision. Thank you Lord for today!! (even with the scary storm) Thank you for the chance to BE THERE.

Wow~ what a blessing!

Not Back-to-School Hop: Student Photo Week

(I missed the other two weeks, so I'm hoping to get those up here in the next few days. Go ahead and click on the above link to visit Life with my 3 Boybarians! )

*Isaac*

7yo (8 on Saturday)

2nd grade

my sweet boy ~ desires to please ~ loves his lil' brothers & sisters

*Selah*

6yo

1st grade

my lil' Momma ~ very helpful ~ emotional ~ loves to sing

*Talitha*

4yo

Pre-K

determined ~ 4-going-on-14 (so she thinks) ~ my early riser

*Elijah*

2yo

the "me-too" toddler

just coming into his own ~ very expressive ~ still cuddly & sweet

*Micah*

5 mo. old

the newest addition

loves his momma's-milk ~ Mr. Drool ~ learning to use those lungs!!

Can it be done???

This is the week of "can it be done?"

Can I actually clean my home according to the schedule I currently have on my chores corkboard??

Yesterday was laundry room & mud room, plus all bed linens. So far, so good. Today was kitchen/dining room. It is 11:30 at night, but it's done. I did a good deal of hs'ing today - but hey, I'm *going* to be doing a good deal of hs'ing EVERY day, so I gotta figure out something that will work WITH hs'ing.

Tomorrow is the master bedroom and the living room. Thursday is upstairs (kidzone: so this basically means a lot of vacuuming and minimal dusting - the kiddos have to keep things picked-up regularly). Then Friday is bathrooms - three of them. Our Bible Study meets on Fridays, so I'd like to have the bathrooms all nice & shiny, especially since we now have so many lil' crawlers. Ewwwww....I wouldn't want a gross toilet when they're crawling......

Then Saturday is outdoors (although, my dh decides when a lot of that gets done - maybe on Friday, his other day off).

Just based on the two past days, I'm not sure I can get it all done during the day. I may have to school the kiddos, help them with *their* chores, plus meals & laundry during the day - then attack the cleaning in the evening. I'm just not sure??? I don't *want* to clean in the evenings, so we'll see if I can actually get it in during our busy days.

Lastly, I got this awesome pizza stone recently and we tested it out a few nights ago. Apparently, I didn't put enough cornmeal on the stone, as the pizza stuck pretty bad. I also was dealing with VERY moist dough, so that may have been a factor. Tonight, while cleaning, I made up a new batch of dough (not as moist) and laid on the cornmeal. It was *much* better!!! I am pleased~

Oh, and I also FINALLY got the material cut up for my kitchen valance, runner & two placemats (thanks MOM for getting me the fabric - garage sale, of course - yet brand new!!). I'm hoping to get those done before our Bible Study on Friday (but don't hold me to it, girls, you know how it goes).

Hmmmm.....I wonder....if finally, 5 months post-pardem, if I'm *finally* starting to feel like myself again?? A friend told me it took her longer & longer after each birth ~ I would have to agree. So with #5, it appears to be 5 months (for me, at least).

I've also heard once you have 3 or 4 babies, it doesn't matter how many more you have, it's all the same after that. Um....NO....I would have to disagree. At least for me, each child has added JOY and LOVE and WONDER to our home - yet that have also added work and loss of "extra" time and more mess/busy-ness/CHAOS!! Perhaps it is due to their closeness in age? Perhaps it's just our crazy life and schedule? Perhaps I'm just a wimp? (I'm totally willing to admit that)

Oh well....life feels full and good and hectic and wonderful!

EMBRACE THE CHAOS, right baby???

Working like Ms. Proverbs 31?

What in the world??

I have no idea what I did!?! But I can tell you what I didn't do:

*I did NOT get up before dark (ha!)

*I did NOT make myself bed coverings (nor did I hem my dh's pants)

*I did NOT work with flax & wool (although I did make some pizza dough)

What I also DID NOT do, was eat the bread of idleness ~ whoo-hoo!! Go Lori!

What it *feels* like I did.....like I worked out for hours on end. My muscles are sore in my legs, my hips, my back, my butt (tmi, I know). And I have no idea what I did to work my muscles so extensively?!? No idea.

Oh well, maybe this will count as part of "She dresses herself with strength

and makes her arms strong."

(It's my butt that hurts, not my arms, but whatever...)

Working 9 to 5 ~ NOT

Take a look at this:

¹⁵She rises while it is yet night

and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.

And this:

¹⁸She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.

And get a load of this stuff:

¹³She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.

¹⁷She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.

²²She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.

²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Oh, my, goodness.....this is one strong, hard-workin' lady, let me tell you! I've got the staying up late at night to work thing down - REALLY down - but the getting up while it is still dark thing.....um, no.

And she works. Works hard. Willingly, it says. Willingly. How willingly do I work? Really?! When I'm changing yet another diaper. When I'm wiping down the dining room table AGAIN. When I need to add yet one more thing to my day. Willingly? Pfff.....I've got some work to do.

She makes. Makes herself strong. Makes her bed coverings. Makes linen garments. She's busy making! I may not have to make my bed covering or linen garments - but what *am* I making? How am I working? How am I contributing?

And this one? She does not eat the bread of idleness. Ouch. Does facebook count as idleness? I'm guessing yes - at least it does when my time there is not kept in check.

Yes, folks, it's almost fall. Time to tackle a schedule again. Find out what is going to work for us now and here. Now, with a 2nd grader, a 1st grader and a preschooler (plus a toddler & a baby). Here, in this new big ol' house that we now call home.

I was inspired by a friend of mine recently. She was working really hard to organize her home. She was taking pride in what she had, not complaining about what she didn't have. She told me she really *liked* her home - and you could tell that from how hard she had been working and the pride she took in making her house a comfortable, beautiful home for her family.

²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

She deserves to be praised. I was inspired. I too want to love my home, take pride in my home, enjoy what God has given us - work at it every day and make it our home. Take time for the details, keep up with the basics, give it that something extra that I can because I'm able to stay at home.

Does not eat the bread of idleness. Again, ouch. We are a country of idleness. I am a person of idleness. I want to be lazy. I don't want to work *that* hard. I want to "get by" with a minimal amount of effort.

Umm, Lori?

Not the point, woman.

Really, work is *good* for us! Honestly. We were made to work. Here in America, we seem to strive towards idleness. The more idle we are, the more successful we must be. Yikes.

So, I'm re-reading about that good ol' Proverbs 31 woman. I'm not trying to be perfect (ha - as if?!), but I'm trying to re-set my goals, what I'm working for and WHY.

Wish me luck~

p.s. thanks Joann ~ luv ya!

My kids ~ the models

Yes, my kids are models. Of course. They are adorable, don't ya know?!?

Actually, my dh met a couple who teaches a photography class (relatives of some church members) on FB. She mentioned needed some kiddos for a practice photo shoot thingy and Dean agreed to bring our lil' ones.

The pics turned out so great!! The wife/teacher/wonderful lady Rosie, took the pics of our kids. I'm not 100% sure of all the copyright stuff, and I don't want to infringe on anything, so go to her blog, where she posted some pics from the shoot. Seriously, A-DOR-A-BLE!!

Artistic Captures Blog

If you scroll down, um, to the 6th pic - that's Isaac. Then there's Selah, Elijah, Talitha & baby Micah. The baby's pic is absolutely beautiful - this is his first really animated pic!

Enjoy~

Beyond this season

In talking with some friends & family lately, I have been discussing this "season" of life I am in. Small children, strollers, carseats, breastfeeding, baths, diapers, don't-you-dare-put-that-in-your-mouth type of season. I love it (ok, almost all of it)~

Yet, in thinking about my body, my 5 c-sections, I can see that this season does, in fact, have a light at the end of the tunnel. You'd think I'd be *happy* about that - but I'm sure yet....

Not have a baby in the house to cuddle and snuggle and nurse and inhale? Not feel that lil' life inside of my body when it first begins to move around? Not being able to watch that newborn's eyes roll back in his head as he nurses, completely content? *sigh*

On the other hand, there are things my dh & I have been putting off, knowing we can't possibly accomplish them in this season of our lives. My clarinet....oh, my clarinet. Did you know I played? Did you know my degree is in music performance? Oh, I'm not as talented as my friend Brooke, but I was good. WAS good. I haven't played in SOOOO long.

My dh would like to study up on photography. He simply doesn't have the time right now. I would like to sew more, put more into the decorating of my home, learn domestic skills along with my children, have the ability to not fall asleep whenever I want to crochet......yet right now, it's all about keeping my head above water. Right now....

Yet it won't always be so. Sure, I'll have other *issues*, other distractions, but they will differ from THIS season. And since this is all I've know for the past 8 years, it's hard to look beyond. You mean, there may *actually* be a time when I won't change diapers?? Seriously?!

In all seriousness, I *love* my babies. I *love* this season. Yes, it can be overwhelming and emotional and hormonal and...whatever....yet, I'm not sure I'm ready for it to be over. The thought of not having another baby is sad to me - yet I know that day *will* come. Sooner rather than later.

So Lord, help me to lay this all down at your feet (to quote a good friend of mine) -and keep giving it back to you as I continue to struggle. It's okay to have these feelings, all jumbled up and confused. It's okay to be sad, yet excited, yet nervous all at the same time. Please help me to seek out YOUR will and then ACCEPT it as good & perfect for my life. Help me to remember You know best.

Then I can relax, enjoy where I am *today* and not be scared of what's to come. Thank you Lord, for this life, my husband & my babies! Thank you for THIS season and those to come~

Overpopulation: Mythbusters!!

I know I haven't been around in a while - we've had our church's denominational Family Camp, plus some family visiting.....anyway, we've been busy. I've just been too tired to blog. I've got some pics to share, stuff to talk about, but for now (since it's already after 2am), I'm just gonna share this lil' video with y'all.

**Just so you know, I don't believe in this whole "overpopulation" stuff. I do believe we have to work on finding sustainable resources, but this OP hype is just fear-inducing and leads to support of a bunch of horrible stuff (it really does play nicely into Planned Parenthood's ideas, doesn't it?!).

So enjoy the video and I'll be back soon

Lots of luv~