Beach Day

When Aidan was small we had a book called, "Beach Day". 

"Sun-kissed skin, contented grin, what a happy day it's been. Beach Day"

For those of you who know me, the contents of this post might be surprising to you.  I am not a water person.  I am not a beach person.  I don't enjoy kids in sand or smelly lake water.  But, we were invited to a friend's lake cabin and they have a lake (duh) and a beach and the kids love all those things which I detest, naturally.  So, here ya go!  Our beach day!

Trying something new

I'm not sure when it happened, but Brett and I have become a multi-media couple. Here we are, sitting in bed. Me with my hand-me-down iPad and him with the "Acer" which is the cheapest netbook we could find when our computer kicked the bucket last summer. I'm trying to figure out blogging with this device and he's watching YouTube tutorials on how to install a window in a garage loft without hurting himself or others. How far we've come. We actually have a rule about media in bed because it's to easy to get sucked into our own little worlds and not even spend a single moment together. Tonight I arrived in our room first due to a baby who needed me and so there you are. Our quality time. So here I am, blogging on an iPad. Not sure what I think about it. It's a fun little device, but I'm not sure I'll be utilizing it as much as I thought I would. We'll see. For now, "hello", things have been a bit crazy. Crazy-fun, not crazy-crazy.

Caught!

This girl is trouble, but oh my, she is so much fun.

Summer Livin'

What?  It's mid-July?  Maybe that's why it's been so quiet here? 

We are still around.  We went on our annual trip to SD to see family and play tourist and get run over by a buffalo!  Got your attention?  Good.  Below is a picture to prove that we are all healthy and happy and just enjoying these precious moments of sunshine.  The rest has to wait because well...I have three kids upstairs who are supposed to be getting ready for bed and a baby plus one more child down here being a little noisy. 

I'm hoping to get a chapter of our read-aloud in tonight sans the presence of the other adult (the real one, not the 10-year-old who thinks he's one).  Felicity is not the biggest fan of "Swallows and Amazons", but the rest of us are so we are trying to convert her.  Maybe if I served pemmican?!  Not sure what I'm talking about?  Read it!  It's the perfect summer read-aloud.

This is the picture that will be in the Diocesan Newspaper.  We are being featured for National NFP week.  I've never written about NFP directly on this blog for several reasons.  I think this will be the year. 

Just in case you didn't believe me about the buffalo.  Okay, this isn't the one that almost killed us (I'm only being slightly dramatic), but these animals are just amazing!

A Fly-By Check-In

Because this week has been cah-razy!!!!


- Our house is almost all not-white

- Two oldest girls are doing Totus Tuus this week

- Oldest child is in Black Belt Camp

- Two youngest got to experience "going to the playground with mommy"

- I can never send my children to school because I've learned that I detest packing lunches, except for writing on their napkins....I love writing on their napkins.

- Garden is growing, slowly.

Biggest News of All:

Felicity has been discharged from physical therapy!  This is huge!  15 mos. and being discharged from all therapy?!?!?!  Praise God!!!!

Also, we saw the orthopedic surgeon who has been following her since birth and she was astonished with her progress.  To quote, "I would have never predicted this outcome, especially with the severe trauma at the beginning".  Sweet Felicity is doing amazingly well.  The only "issue" that she's going to be followed for now is a very slight high-tone to her right foot.  I mean, really?  That's hardly an issue.  We didn't know if she would live, and then when she did, we didn't know if she would be able to self-feed, roll, sit, crawl, walk, etc...  And here she is, growing and thriving and just bringing so much joy!  All children are gifts and miracles, but sometimes it takes an obvious miracle for us to see it. 

And on that, good night. 

Country Livin' Quote

"Aidan, stop chasing that mouse with the hoe and get in here for dinner!"

Bonus Quote of the Day:

"I sealed up the crack where the hornets were getting in and they are as mad as a....well, they're really mad!"

How's That Pie?

The littlest of our crew sure has me eating a lot of humble pie.  Here's the most recent. 

I hope ya'll will still like me after I tell you this, but I used to balk at "all those moms" who would buy (and presumably use) store-bought baby food.  *My* babies don't eat baby food.  The oldest had a few jars of the stuff, but I happily gave it all up pretty much for good with the rest.  Most of my babies went straight to soft table food. 

My little skinny, choke-and-gag-on-breastmilk baby is another story, naturally.  She loves the stuff.  Because of her intubation at birth her little throat just can't handle much more than pureed stuff.  She gets as much "regular" food as she wants (which is hardly any), and then her little belly gets full of the mushy stuff.

So now I'm the mom with the baby food in my shopping cart.  Yes, I could make my own, but that would mean I was making my family healthy meals to begin with.  I will be soon.  Really soon.  More on that later.  By the looks of the week, it will be much later.