But, the Lord in his mercy gives us new days, new weeks.  Here’s to a better, happier one!

3 feet tall.

*No babies were harmed in the making of this post.

My bookend boys. Love.

I think I’m going to like our new Thursday routine, which, incidentally I made up just today.  I used to have it MADE with the carpool situation.  Nicky pulled James out of school this semester and so now we have to drive more.  Anyway, there’s a perfect amount of time between when I drop off the carpool kids and when I pick up Adelaide from preschool to do a grocery run and bonus! only four kids in tow. 

I let them pick out their lunch.  (A lunchable once a week won’t kill them, right?)  I also brought the leappads in the car and there was not ONE backseat fight the entire length of carpool.  It was awesome.  Score one for mom.

And then also today we made blueberry muffins for a close family with a newly-birthed baby,

snuck candy,

ate potato soup a la Gretchen (turkey bacon! not bad!),

with salad,

and apparently placed Arianna a little too close to the butter.

I have the hardest time getting my kids to eat a good breakfast before school in the mornings. They’d eat bacon or sausage every day if we had it. They also always ask for cinnamon toast, and I blame my mom for introducing it to them. ;) Andy always jokes (in his best mimic-them voice) “we’ll eat… sugar bread and… fat.”

(December Photo Project)

Common occurrence around here.

Adelaide had an October “hillybilly” day (notice the fake freckles):

Indoor marshmallow roast at our friends’ house:

made into Nutella S’mores mmmmmmm:

A fall picnic, just snacks…

my view:

sleepy after a Sunday afternoon nap:

rotating fresh flowers on the table every week:

being silly,

going on errands,

lounging around upside down,

picking out what’s for lunch,

doing dishes,

getting happy with the markers,

unwrapping the butter,

getting candy,

and breakfast-twirling before school.

Been enjoying this little dude,

My cousin Bry was here a couple of weeks ago helping my other cousin with her new house. I won’t even count the number of kids under the roof that day.

Trivia game of the hour: NAME THAT BABY BOY!

Been playing outside…

and having leaf fights.

How to get your house clean: invite friends over for chili. This one cracks me up in it’s almost-ness.  They were trying to make silly faces?

an authorized bonfire…

Had a fall picnic with our shepherding group…

And this sweet girl had three long dentist appointments.  This was right after her first cap (of two) got put on.

back later with part 2…

Oh, life.

Oh, and funny thing, I CAN still cook. ;)

It was fun, I LOVE taking just one kid to do stuff. We stopped for lunch at Sonic. She wanted a corndog and we both tried the new pumpkin pie milkshake. Funny, it tastes like pumpkin pie!

We went to Gymboree to clean them out of $6.99 pajamas and then hit up Walmart. I had several other things that could have gotten done but my van is acting up and we had to make it back for ballet.

(Girlfriend loves her sugar.)

(And ohmyword she looks like me there.)

Today I’m gonna try to catch up on some things – the theme of my life lately is behind, behind, behind or forgot, forgot, forgot.  I’m clearly still looking for my new normal.

Hope I find it!

With Grandmom, Saturday:

She and Grandpop took the 3 big kids on a train ride and out to lunch while I ran errands and bought food. Some family friends came up in time for pizza that night and why did I not pull out my camera?!

We took a ton of family photos afterwards (can’t show; mom’s Christmas card) and had lunch for family, etc. in the fellowship hall and again I forgot to take photos. The kids apparently ran around so hard that immediately upon entering the car Arianna fell over.

Drew’s car game, called “my arms are broken”:

My sweet Madeline-girl:

And this was from a few days ago and totally unrelated but so funny. She’s got the most awesome kiss-face. And she loves her wittle brother.

It’s times like these where all God’s blessings sort of get in your face, demanding notice. It makes a long hard week lighter. People around, help with the kids, laughter, talking, good food… And my mom is staying until next Friday.

I’m doing my happy dance.

I’ve been so busy just trying to manage… kids, school, homework, Arianna and her funny little self and big destructive ways, nursing a wee one, etc. Andy had a business retreat last week and they got a lot done but man! five kids alone for two days is hard for one person. Oh but hey, did I mention my sisters moved back to town? They’re pretty much lifesavers and all kinds of awesome. And also, they live about 4 minutes away. SO THANKFUL.

Other than that we’ve been…

Making silly fake-sad faces,

talking to the [other] baby,

making living room forts and coaxing Daddy in,

snuggling baby brother,

going to a wedding,

to watch a close friend get married,

dressing ourselves,

going to the first day of 1st and 2nd grade,

babywearing,

holding cutie pies,

and wearing brother’s too-small shirt

backwards.

Yep, it’s that time of year again – FALL CONSIGNMENT SALE. I spent the last 3-4 days pulling stuff down from the attic, hanging and tagging, and today I dropped it all off. I had A LOT. (At one point the lady checking me in goes “how many kids do you have?!”) I also tagged all my fall/winter maternity clothes, yippee!

(Tip of the iceberg.)

Anyway, glad that job is over and I better make some $. (Andy, if you read this, IT DOES NOT COUNT AS BUDGET MONEY.)

My goal for tomorrow is to fold laundry and blog for real. I’ve been taking lots of photos, trying to get a good shot of the baby (since it would be bad form to send out a birth announcement when he’s heading to college).

Until tomorrow then.

This morning Ethan had his first big blowout.  I should have seen that coming because all of the sudden he had several just-wet diapers in a row.  Oh, did I mention he was laying on my bed?

OH BUT THE DRYER WORKS.  5th time’s a charm, apparently.

So, yeah, my sheets got washed today.  Along with 52,438 other loads of laundry.

It hasn’t been ALL about poop, though — my cousin Vangie (WHO LIVES HERE NOW!) came over tonight with her baby and I made pizza.  (Dangit! I keep forgetting to take photos.)  Little B and Arianna are pretty funny together with all their not-sharing.  I was telling Andy last night that I need to re-connect with the outside world so I’m glad it worked out for them to come.

(Love that one, also from Tuesday.)

Arianna got hand-foot-mouth from a playdate last week (at least she was family, ha) and the thing about sickness at this age is a) they don’t understand, you can’t explain to them why they are miserable and b) you also can’t explain why pain medicine is necessary for them to feel better. Arianna is the WORST kid EVER to give pain meds to. Like, you basically have to hold her entire body down and force it down her throat. FUN TIMES.

So, a week of screaming Cranky Baby. Yesterday was better and today it’s almost gone. We obviously couldn’t go anywhere. (Not that going anywhere with 5 kids in this oppressive heat is on my Top Ten Favorite Things To Do list anyway.)

Oh, and the dryer? STILL BROKEN. The technician was here yesterday, installed a new motor, and STILL BROKEN. It’s pretty sad when you’re neighbor has nearly all your laundry memorized. (But, thankful for sweet neighbors.)

Our neighborhood always has a night in the summer where we all get together at the park and they serve free ice cream from a local gourmet ice cream shop. I didn’t go because of Cranky Baby and Mister 1-Month but Andy took the kids and they had a grand old time.

Waiting for daddy to go…

I found out later they each snuck back for THIRDS.

And poor, sick Ari, having to watch from the window.

A good Saturday, no?