This is the day that the Lord has made...

A much needed refreshing Lord's day here at the Big House. Tom has worked so much he decided on a family worship day.

Yesterday I went with him on a loonngg ride on the motorbike. We put in well over 300 miles and it was a great ride to de-stress him after so many 16 hour working days. I often just watch the stress melt away off his back and see his muscles relax as we ride. I was ever so thankful for the children letting us go. Hannah had them all bathed and in bed when we came home. Garrett graciously picked up our produce order and now I have salsa and pickling to look forward to for this week.

The large Rhino beetle is still a visitor here even though he did manage to escape his quarters for a brief time. Miriam brought me a roly poly bug as I was having some bible study time on the porch. I told her to just feed him to our bearded dragon lizard but she was not too happy about my suggestion. Hannah is under the weather today so I think some game playing will be in order instead of swimming.

I also plan on working in some knitting time. I joined the hat of the month club (at Millicents yarns) in March and I am behind a hat. I like the fact that they are portable so I can take them places to work on. There has only been one that I do not care for and I plan on replacing that pattern with a Tam style. I figure that if I do one hat a month until next March I will have a hat made for everyone in the family!

Winding down...for now!

My life is not only full but also very interesting and at times down right amazing! The last several weeks were full of canning peaches, tomato sauce, pickles and relish. Freezing corn and 28 loaves of zucchini bread rounded out the list. Hannah decided to make some little pizzas for the freezer and at 13 she did a super job. There are several little pizzas tucked away now awaiting to be pulled out and topped. She also tried her hand out at making sauce for them as did super on that as well. Now before anyone thinks she is just such a super child notice the added picture of her with the brown substance on her finger and the light brown curly items sticking out of it. Well... she came to me and said "mom, Oscar (our pug puppy) has worms" then she proceeds to lick her finger to which I am now permanently grossed out!

Today it is cookies and brownies as the cookie jar has been empty for way to long! I also want to make some rolls and bread but we shall see what time permits.

Tom has been working some tremendous overtime for the last three weeks and most days were 16 hour ones. I was was sitting in bed last night watching something on my laptop when my dear son Garrett decides to show me his new found friend. Now what part of this bug is not something you want to see before you go to bed? I think I might need therapy after this one!

Friday, I love Friday

Sometimes my life is so crazy that I want to just write a book to share will everyone. But, then I think no one would believe it anyway :)
With three weeks of school left I am taking a relaxed approach to end the school year. We are watching lots of IMAX movies on all sorts of different subjects. Yesterday it was stormchasers and today was dolphins. I had an early morning meeting with one of my professors to asses what direction I should persue after graduation this May. I will have my AA but I am thinking of changing my major from education to social sciences and I think that is really where God is steering me.
I am looking forward to ending formal school for the children and off to total project time. I want to expand Hannah's sewing skills and teach two other's beginning sewing. there will also be lots of summer reading and gardening and I am ready for that change of pace. Bring on the summer!

misc. pictures to share our slice of life

wanted to throw in some pics to show some of what we have been doing
lately at the Big House. Noah is posing in the new hat I made. It was a new project in my knitting that I was eager to try. Hannah is playing a game and her bearded dragon is resting on her leg watching. Last is Destini full of giggles in my room on the rocker. They brought me a tea party tray and ended up with the giggles.

where does the time go?

It is the middle of March and I had a goal to keep up with my blog much better than this...time to reset the goal!
Life has been absolutely crazy around here. With car buying for me, 1st car purchase for oldest daughter, 17yo son running fire calls and soccer, music lessons for other 7 children, me trying to finish my college work...I feel so overwhelmed and so very blessed all at the same time.
Example of our crazy house: the other night I am trying to get some college work completed and am in my bed on the laptop. 11yo son trapes in with an armful of medication from the medicine cupboard stating that he has a headache, stomach ache and allergies, I smile at the silliness of this and start to dole out what he needs when my 8yo daughter comes in to the other side of the bed stating that she REALLY needs to show me something down "there" (in her crotch area) to which I am saying to myself what can my 8yo possible need to show me "down there" ? Now the 11yo son is rolling his eyes and steps outside the door. The 8yo proceeds to show me her underwear (which were new and of the boy short type) and shows me that there is a seam right down the front and it kinda bothers her, to which I reply well do you have them on backwards, to which she looks at the back of them and state "no, the "sign" is back here. At this point I almost become hysterical, (notice the almost here) then 11yo son chimes in "it's not a sign, it is called a tag!" and as I look out my bedroom door I see the new puppy racing across the house trailing a pair of pink underwear,followed by several children screaming "mom, Oscar is eating underwear!!!" now at this point I DO become hysterical and am crying laughing because it's just another day with the family circus!

snowmagedden

Yeah, it really did snow 3 feet and now tomorrow we are getting another 12 or more inches. To me this is putting on snow clothes, taking off snow clothes. Funny though, as the children are getting older it is taking less and less time to help those still left to help. Today I had an unbelievable time of organization. Don't know where that burst of drastic energy came from but I cleaned out the entire attic and rearranged it. Next, I put away all the Christmas decorations from the outside away and then pulled out the Valentine's day stuff. While I was up there I also brought down all the baby stuff that I saved for my grand babies :) There was the heirloom bassinet and a swing and bouncy seat and loads of clothes. Ashley is coming in this weekend to go through everything and decide what she will take back home with her. I also pulled out lots of boxes with keepsake papers in them, and old receipt boxes. Went through all of that and kept out what I wanted to scrapbook with and the rest is ready for the trash. I also got a great start on reorganizing all my photos on the computer and I finished organizing all my printed photos so they are all ready to scrap. Whew, and I wondered why I was feeling tired. Tomorrow I plan on posting some crazy random photos about the quantities of stuff we have here from having a large family. I hope to Post some photos of some layouts this week too so stay tuned, especially Tara as I would really like her opinion on them.

New Year rough start

I always have high hopes for the New Year! I set goals, pray, plan and then ATTACK! The enemy always seems to try even harder to take the wind out of my sails. That is how I brought in my new year. It started with a broken down car that spenT 3 months in the shop and when I picked up it was still broken! That led to a spiff with my dear hubby, and then telling our 17yo son no to a trip that was not beneficial caused him to be hateful and crabby for a few days, then our engaged daughter is already fussing over future wedding issues and how things are not going well, then the car gets TWO flat tires, then children are difficult to get back into the swing of things after a long break. As I sat this morn mulling over all that has happened in the last 8 days I realized it was a direct attack because of my New Year motto. Nearer my God to thee. That is where I want to be and since I have increased my prayer time and time spent in the word should I have expected a smooth road? As we are studying about Joshua in school I find myself even more determined to push ahead with my motto... so I am shouting NEARER MY GOD TO THEE, THAT IS WHERE I WANT TO BE!!!