It seems since our church schedule has changed we have so much more time on Sundays. I have decided that this is a great time to blog. We'll see how long my goal lasts! These are pictures from Six Flags at Christmas time when Mikayla and Brianna sang at the Carousel. It was FREEZING, but we had a good time. We left the babies at home with a sitter and the rest of us braved the cold. We were literally frozen within minutes, thanks to the humidity. We lived for the Sponge Bob Ride and a Looney Tunes Christmas production. These were both inside buildings and it was nice to get warm! The good thing about all that was we didn't have wait in any lines, except for the Sponge Bob ride!

A New Year! A New Family Picture that never made it in a Christmas Card!

Andrew was baptized in December so I thought I would post this great picture of our family. The picture itself is a little crooked, but well - that seems to be like our family anyway and how crazy our house is, that it makes me feel normal to look at that picture. At least the kids all had matching Christmas outfits this year. A First for us,for even the boys had matching plaid ties with the girls' plaid dresses. We would definitely not be found in Better Homes and Gardens or on a Disney Cruise Line picture because there has Never been a time when ALL of us are looking at the camera at the same time. This is very normal, I tell myself. All mothers struggle getting their kids to pose for a family picture. THAT is why computer programs were created to change features on a photo, but by the time I could figure out how to do all that and take the time to do it, my house would be a wreck and who knows what food would be on the ceiling.


Have a Great day!

The Latest David Story

Wayne asked David why there were Girls and Boys. Wayne explained and then asked David, "What if there were only Girls in the world?" David only looked at Wayne with an expression of "Are you NUTS?" Wayne then proceeded to ask David, "What if there were only Boys in the world?" David immediately answered him, "Then it would be a way Cool world, Dad!"

Batman Returns in Pumpkin Form

The Batman and the family

It was a Happy Halloween time around here. Last Friday, Andrew's 2nd grade pumpkin contest was due and we made The Batman as a family project. It was great fun and challenging. Gorilla Glue is amazing stuff. When Mikayla was in 2nd grade she made a Mickey Mouse pumpkin and we used Gorilla Glue for her project as well. That Mickey Mouse pumpkin head NEVER came off and we finally threw it away after Christmas. Painting a pumpkin makes it last for a VERY LONG TIME! Trick or Treating was very warm this year and lots of fun with way too much candy! Grandma Hawkes made Brianna's cat costume and Mikayla wore the Spanish Dress that Wayne bought in Spain on his mission. Andrew was OBI-Wan Kenobi, David was the GREEEN Dragon, Gabby was a ladybug and Pea Pod was the Bumble Bee. Wayne was able to be home with us this year and that was definitely a fun thing. Wayne had Andrew watch the movie, "Rudy" and Andrew loved it! I don't know if it was because Rudy never gave up or because he loved how at the end Rudy totally sacked the quarterback. He thought that was GREAT! He told me that he knows that feeling of sacking the quarterback and it does feel GREAT! He commented that he loved how Rudy always got back up over and over again and never gave up. I think it taught him a great lesson he will never forget!

A Look in the Past - At Least Mom Has Had Fun This Week!

A True Hippie girl! Mikayla shines!

1960's Day!

Respect the classics man!



The True sideburns are a must in the 60's

On a little more clean cut look!

1950's Day!

This week has been "Back through the Decades" for Red Ribbon Drug-Free week at our elementary school. Our family has really gotten into this and I have posted some pictures of the kids in the 50's, 60's and then forgot to take pictures on 70's day. The sad part of this whole thing was that it didn't take much to put these outfits together, especially the 60's and 70's day. Our kids actually wear some of these clothes on a regular basis. How pathetic! On 60's day when Wayne took the kids over to school, he came home and told me that our kids looked like true authentic hippies. While most of the other kids wore tye-dye shirts, our kids were in flower child gear of peace vests and hippie blouses, with beads and chains, bandanas and flip flops. The Entire Ensemble! Andrew even wore sideburns. He thought they were so cool and got so many comments on them that he wanted to wear them again the next day. He said all the kindergarteners were staring at him at lunch. He thought it was Kinda Cool, Man!

Could We all Be Too Exhausted?

Does this picture perhaps bring into focus that our lives may be too busy. This is little 9 month old Amelia (Pea Pod) putting herself to sleep. Wayne and I and the kids had been upstairs working on costumes and I heard in the distance a little fussing. I spent a few more minutes, (maybe five) upstairs. On the way down, I see that Pea Pod has gotten into her bouncer all by herself and then as I get closer, I realized she had just thought "Forget it, I am not waiting for my mom any longer", and went to sleep (she does love to fall asleep in that thing.) How adorable! How Pea Poddish! That is just so like her to be so easy and cute at the same time! Thank goodness Little Miss #6 is so yummy!

Hairspray

I'm posting a couple of pictures of the family. We are into the football season and Andrew and David's first game will be this Saturday, Sept 8th. We need to be there at 7:15 a.m. to warm up for David's game. Andrew's game follows David's at 9:00 a.m. We are excited and look forward to seeing our guys play.





A note to chuckle on: The other day, Mikayla came from out of her bedroom laughing hyterically. I wondered what in the world was so funny. I turned around and actually went into a little shock of sorts. There sat my baby, Pea Pod, in Mikayla's arms with a full head of hair on her head. It just took me back and then I was laughing so hard. It looked real. I mean she could be in the movie "Hairspray". The hair used to be on a doll that Mikayla had. So needless to say
we have had some fun laughs with that wig. Even the dog has tried it on!

THE PICTURES SAY IT ALL!

The next baby to be in "Hairspray"

Andrew and his buddy Nathan
wondering whether they should
tryout out for Hairspray!

!Mikayla has already made the cast!



We hope you have a great Sabbath Day and that your family can find a doll wig as fun as ours has been! I think I have done at least 100 situps worth of laughs just posting these crazy shots. I have a bunch of nuts for kids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!