Shiner

Today while walking through the kitchen Emily turned her head and smacked her eye on the corner of the granite counter tops, OUCH!!!

3 years ago...

It was three years ago that we moved back from a 4+ years out of the country. We had been in our house for 3 months and the boxes were put away (mostly) and we were settling into our new home. It was three years ago that Madeline Grace was born. Maddie what to say to you, you are a funny one you try so hard to do things that will make you accepted by your sisters and brother. You follow Emily with a watchful eye always wanting to do whatever she is doing. You are a big helper for me. While you increase my blood pressure and frustrate me to no end, you are also the sweetest little girl around. You have a silly personnality. You are good with your manners and quick to help out. I enjoy watching you grow and look forward to watching you for a long time. My only hope is that in the coming year we can work on your tidying up skills!!

Sleep Over

Last night Nathan had his first sleep over. He was very excited ALL day and I think he had a good time. It was just two doors down so it was not too scary but he was so excited!! I think I ruined it this morning when I picked him up. I called to see if I could run a few errands and then get Nathan but I was unable to speak to the boys mom because she was in her room and not to be disturbed. So I decide to just bring him with me. This was the wrong choice as proved by Nathan's actions. He had an absolute fit and was the worst child EVER!! It took all I had to not physically punish him. There were times that I did just laugh because lets face it sometimes that is all you can do.

Vacation

Last week the kids were in Oklahoma City for a vacation without the parents. The 4 older ones went to spend some time their grandparents and Mommy went on vacation. because when you go from 5 kids to just a 7 month old it IS a vacation!! I sewed 2 quilts, went to Old Town Spring with a friend, did some shopping and cleaning and just enjoyed some time without fighting and the constant cry of "mom". The kids had a great time and I am sure will be ready to do it again next year!! While the kids were in Oklahoma they saw there cousins on the Hellen side, they had not seen them in a year and half. Christmas 2009. They also saw all but 2 of the Cook cousins. Nathan always looks forward to seeing my brother's family. They have older boys that Nathan looks up to and a boy a year younger that he plays a LOT with!! They have two girls that my girls really enjoy playing with as well, Claire is Emily's age and they are twins separated. It is fun to watch the kids playing with their cousins! While the kids were away I twisted my Left ankle pretty bad. Let me just say thank goodness for child birth classes. I used my breathing and made it through the pain!!! I could barely walk on it Thursday night and by Friday MUCH better, but I went to the doctor anyway where I had an x-ray and received the results on Tuesday. It was normal. Even now, one week later it is still a little tender and I favor it when I go down the stairs. Some pictures with their cousins...

Timber

Today we had 6 of our pine trees cut down, 3 that were dead and 3 that were on their way to death. The yard looks different on one side but there are still enough pine trees to make it not too noticeable. I have to say there is a lot less shade on the South side of the house. Time to plant 2 more trees, just need a good 10 day slow drizzly rain to soften up our rock hard clay. I have to say it was fun to watch them climb up the trees and swing from one to the other as they cut them down. Made for good morning entertainment.

Possum

This post is a little late, but here it is none the less. The day was April 12, 2011, a Tuesday. The kids had been home from school for a few hours and I was sitting at the computer to respond to emails, check blogs, who knows what. Emily comes in from the back yard yelling at me and very excited/nervous "Mom you have to come see this big thing" (now imagine her eyes wide and talking with her hands). I get up thinking OK what is it another bug, frog, unknown insect? We walk to the back yard and get half way to the play fort when she stops and points at the fort saying, "It's over there." So I cautiously walk to the fort and look around the corner at the bottom (the bottom is closed off and you can only see under it when you turn the corner) and there it is, the "big thing". There lying on the ground looking rather sickly a bigger than average possum. I get a little nervous because, well have you ever seen a possum? I send the kids in the house and call the neighbor and ask what do I do she comes over and is as clueless as me. I wait until Paul comes home and he disposes of it. All I will say is there was a pitch fork involved and little to no mess. The possum never had a chance poor little creature. Ever since this Emily has been scared of almost everything. Now she thinks there are things under the beds at bedtime, she was afraid to go into rooms without someone with her (she is getting over this one) just much more scared of the unknown. Life in the wild suburbs...

Reagan sleep

Last night was the first night of turning off the baby monitor and letting Reagan cry herself back to sleep. It was pretty good except that we did hear her and we woke up twice. Once she woke Nathan and he wanted us to go get her. Hopefully 2 more nights and she will be sleeping all night. She was just not settling even when I would nurse her she wanted me to walk her and rock her back to sleep, while this is not a bad thing, by 7 months mommy needs to get back to getting decent sleep. Plus waking up every two hours does not make for a happy mom in the morning!!

Visitor

This morning Nathan was upstairs and started shouting for us to, "Come look out the window. Hurry come upstairs!! There's a deer in the back field!!" So the girls ran upstairs and I went out back with my camera in hand. When I opened the door all the dove, that were eating their breakfast of sunflower seeds, flew off. That drew the attention of the deer. When I looked through the opening between the gate and the fence, there it was. It was a BIG one and I think it was a male it looked like there may be the beginnings of antlers. Good morning!

Another one done

I finished another quilt this one was going to bed for Reagan's crib, however it was too big and then I did not like it, but now it is my favorite (everyone I do becomes my new favorite). There is no real purpose for this quilt, I think we are just going to let the girls use it to play with, with their dolls, pretend tea parties, etc... I have been using it to lay Reagan on when I am outside working. The bonus was that it was REALLY easy!