tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51026931254906774622012-01-24T06:02:56.514-08:00Moms (and dads) of many...that's what we are. Parents who have chosen to have more than the average amount of kids. While me we may have more laundry, and need an additional shopping cart at the grocery store, our homes are full of love, and a lot of noise. In this blog, we share our stories, our joys, our trials, and everything else that makes being a large-family parent great.LotsOfKidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752824616171575207noreply@blogger.comBlogger1171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-28970597586479066062010-06-27T17:29:00.001-07:002010-06-27T17:29:39.267-07:00

Financially we are really struggling this year, however, I still want us to have FUN as a family.  Last month I heard about the National Wildlife Federation Great American Backyard Campout.  I knew it was unlikely that we would actually sleep outside in our backyard, but I decided to join the Facebook page and incorporate the ideas into something fun for my kids. Yesterday was the big day!  It

Denisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16969173185045558595noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-61934122195783647192010-03-25T07:45:00.000-07:002010-03-25T07:50:45.254-07:00

As the mom of (almost) eight, I often get questions like this: "How do you do it? I'm amazed at all you accomplish." or "How do you ever find time for yourself?" There's a huge perception that if you have a lot of kids, there must never be any down time. But really, while one of the most frustrating parts of having lots of kids is that there is always more to do than can be done, there is

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-25877006874215423132010-01-11T09:21:00.001-08:002010-01-11T09:21:47.350-08:00

* People ask you if you have two sets of twins. Or about your triplets. You don't have either.* You get in line for a tour at a museum and they give you your own tour guide.* You hear "You've got your hands full" at least three times every time you're out in public with your children.* You start reading a story to one child and end up reading stories to three or four.* You buy a family pass at

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-58723885931201248222009-12-31T14:17:00.001-08:002009-12-31T14:17:13.355-08:00

*** Cross-posted at all the Lotsofkids blogs. *** It's New Year's Eve (at least in this part of the world). 2009 is almost gone and 2010 is standing before us. It was a difficult year for many people. Financial hardships and insecurity made the year a struggle for so many. That said, even though things were hard, the trials led so many back to focusing on what is important, such as family and

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-35357599267400243282009-10-28T14:56:00.000-07:002009-10-28T16:35:20.920-07:00

It's been three and a half days since I felt it . . . the overpowering nausea that has been the bane of my existence for about seven weeks. I'd like to say it's because I've moved past that stage of pregnancy or that it's because I've discovered some new form of hypnosis that solved the problem, but it's not. For the first time ever, I'm taking Zofran, the anti-nausea miracle pill originally

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-89334779042366171562009-09-26T10:23:00.000-07:002009-09-26T13:30:38.298-07:00

So, by now some of you know I'm expecting, this time my eighth child. Reactions to the news have mostly been positive, but there have been a few negative comments and some raised eyebrows. Perhaps I'm just ultra-sensitive, ready to pick up on the least hint of negativity, or perhaps I'm just pregnant and emotional, but I've felt the hurt of it -- the feeling that others are rejecting this baby or

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-55861018825357857202009-09-02T13:23:00.001-07:002009-09-02T13:30:19.518-07:00

Madsen is giving away a bike every Wednesday on their site. There are several ways to enter. I was really impressed when I took a look at the specs on this bike. The above picture shows 2 kids riding in the bucket, but each seat actually has two seat belts, so a total of 4 kids could safely ride!!! Click on the bike picture to enter. Also if anyone has ever seen one of these bikes in action,

Denisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16969173185045558595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-63881280490172119922009-08-04T13:12:00.000-07:002009-08-04T13:16:46.018-07:00

I am pleased to announce the birth of our fifth child, a daughter, born July 17th. She is beautiful (in my oh-so-humble opinion!). Our children are loving her (especially my other daughter!), as are we. We are doing well, adjusting to life with an infant in the house again. . . there is so much I had forgotten in three years! The sleepless nights, constant supervision. . the list goes on.

mammamilkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03988694337145379370noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-74189060996599028582009-07-11T18:50:00.000-07:002009-07-11T19:12:13.712-07:00

Princess Bianca arrived on January 21, 2009 at 6:12 pm. She was 7lbs and 1oz and 19in long. We waited for what seemed like forever for her to join our family. She came just over 4 yrs since we had started ttc. She has been a great joy to us all.We had many problems in the beginning with nursing. It took us between 4 and 5 long weeks to master it. I am so thankful we finally did and we are

B4 you even asknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-71391792249451297452009-07-06T18:46:00.000-07:002009-07-06T18:52:54.758-07:00

It has been ages since I last posted, and it's not for lack of desire. . .! Somehow life always gets in the way and I can't get it accomplished! I am in the home stretch of my 5th pregnancy, and I'm really starting to slow down, which is a good thing! As I begin to contemplate bringing our newest baby home, I am thinking of all the changes we will experience. . .Our youngest now is almost

mammamilkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03988694337145379370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-74416243393993873952009-07-02T15:08:00.001-07:002009-07-02T15:12:55.568-07:00

We are now in July, and my poor flower garden has been neglected up until this week.I have a tiny garden budget each year to add flowers and such to my yard, so I tend to stick with perennials that will come back year after year. I know some people prefer annuals and redesign their gardens every year, but honestly I don't have the time or budget allowance for that. So this week I went to Lowe's

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-23365676415211929362009-06-13T16:22:00.000-07:002009-06-13T20:43:52.649-07:00

Eliza, age 2.5, and number 6 of our 7 children, has decided that she's a Care Bear. And not just any Care Bear: she's Wish Bear. It's been that way for the past week. Before that, she was Funshine Bear for several months. She loves being a Care Bear, watching Care Bears, and playing with her Care Bears.She protests when I say, "Hey, princess, let's get your shoes on."Her lower lip thrusts

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-51326862486658512862009-05-11T00:17:00.000-07:002009-05-11T00:33:56.765-07:00

Her children rise up and call her blessed. Yeah, right. Maybe someone else's children do that. Not mine, and I wish they would stop rising so darn early. That would be a blessing. The thoughts that churned in this mother's heart when it beat stronger and surer a half decade ago when I was up to my eyeballs in diapers and sippy cups. Today is Mother's Day. To celebrate, Claire drew me a card on a

Katenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-85898236033397924202009-05-09T21:03:00.001-07:002009-05-09T21:20:06.121-07:00

I was listening to an interview on the radio yesterday about breast-feeding. The guest was a demographer who had studied recent trends in the number of nursing mothers (they're up). As the issue was discussed, she lamented the lack of support breast-feeding mothers find as they try to feed their babies what research has shown is the healthiest for them. I wasn't able to hear the entire story,

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-54384861977499701892009-05-05T10:52:00.000-07:002009-05-05T11:28:11.890-07:00

I was featured recently in an article in the Brazilian magazine IstoE Magazine. We did submit a photo, but it was not used. Here is a link to the article. I also have a translated version below. Note: I have to apologize since I don't know Portugeuse and I don't know anyone else who does. The translation was done using "Google Translate" and it is choppy in parts (if anyone would be willing

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-38155284875186568612009-04-30T04:16:00.000-07:002009-04-30T04:28:54.652-07:00

When I heard that there was a new outbreak of the Swine Flu, I have to admit my response was more of weariness than concern. Now, I'm not downplaying the seriousness of the situation at all. It's a dangerous flu and people have died--that's not good at all. However, over the last couple of months my family has been wracked with one illness after another. Stomach bugs, flu bugs, and severe

LotsOfKidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752824616171575207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-52008774435710866152009-04-15T09:03:00.000-07:002009-04-15T12:11:58.409-07:00

Every baby believes the world revolves around her.Babies in a large family don't just believe it.They know it.(Also posted on my blog at http://handsfullmom.blogspot.com)

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-78587573695292328922009-04-09T12:02:00.000-07:002009-04-15T08:14:48.245-07:00

Birthdays in our house come in clusters. We have two within 10 days in the spring (April 27, May 6), three within 20 days in the fall (October 27, 30, and November 11), and four within 40 days in the summer (July 2, July 29, and August 8 -- yes, I know that's only three dates, but I have twins).With nine birthdays each year, it's been a bit of a challenge to figure out how to celebrate. When my

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-51101021981279143272009-03-28T23:51:00.000-07:002009-03-28T23:56:46.021-07:00

Even though my blog is called "Larger Family Life", and I claim to blog about living life the larger family way, I really am not sure whether I have a large family or not. I mean, how many children must you have before you are classed as a large family?I suppose one indicator is thinking back to when people chose to become more vocal with their comments and opinions. I've been trying to pinpoint

Tania @ Larger Family Lifenoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-72154760368229429992009-03-20T08:49:00.000-07:002009-03-21T15:12:18.144-07:00

Let's do lunch.....*30 million children a year participate in their school's lunch program.*83% of kids say that they bring their lunch once a week.*55% of kids say that they bring their lunches up to 5 times a week.These are the statistics that I googled, the most up to date numbers that I found in my quick search were from 2004. So I would guess that those percentages are lower now. Meaning I

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-58164112403900483442009-02-28T14:45:00.001-08:002009-03-21T15:12:58.783-07:00

Hello all!It has been quite awhile since I last posted, due to my SEVERE morning (all day, of course) sickness with my babe-in-utero. But, I am happy to announce that I am feeling like a human again, and remembering why I enjoy being pregnant! I am almost halfway there, and as usual, we have decided to wait to find out until the birth the gender of our baby. We have one girl and three boys,

mammamilkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03988694337145379370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-29538006463317761712009-02-27T13:21:00.001-08:002009-03-21T15:13:38.814-07:00

It's that time of year again. It was Student Led Conference time. That is really just a fancy way of saying that the kids get to bring the parents to school and show off how much they have learned so far this year. The teachers spend a lot of time prepping the kids and preparing a portfolio of their work and mini stations to let the kids show off. I really enjoy it. They all have samples of work

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-24619803798502146032009-02-14T08:35:00.001-08:002009-02-14T08:36:11.245-08:00

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-78208031630727579042009-02-11T16:23:00.000-08:002009-02-12T03:26:58.613-08:00

Despite my cranky reception to the New York Times article, I will have to admit the fruits have been quite nice. I have gotten so many nice emails and comments, praising the LOK sites in general, and embracing large families in particular. So, while the majority of the world may still bristle at the idea of families with more than 2 kids, there are a good number of people who feel it is a

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-77962667646522455142009-02-07T07:12:00.000-08:002009-02-07T07:17:37.043-08:00

Just peeking in to note a new article in the New York Times that features comments by me and my co-blogger on the Mega-Moms blog, Kim/kmomof12.The article is not very complimentary, even though it does feature some nice remarks by parents trying to dispel some of the myths about large families.Here's a link to the article: And Baby Make How Many?I do have some commentary on the article, as well

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-44868962885353343022009-02-04T10:47:00.000-08:002009-02-05T05:31:36.305-08:00

Monday evening I sat down to write a post filled with whining, complaining, b****ing, and a whole bunch of woe is me's.  But something happened and I didn't get to finish it.  Tuesday,  I sat down again to finish the drama post but I really couldn't find it in me to do so.  So instead I went and sat down to watch T.V. with my man.  This morning, Wednesday, I woke up to a sunny, though freezing,

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-23532873193356148432009-02-01T18:52:00.000-08:002009-02-05T05:32:20.914-08:00

The Brontes had a mask, one that they could hide behind when telling the truth. The brainchild of a wise father. Sometimes it is hard to tell the truth in the harsh light of day. I've found in my own life some of the best conversations take place under cover of darkness. We're currently testing this theory out on the children. "Hurry. Brush your teeth. Get in your PJs and then it's time for

Katenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-71460321817244518532009-01-29T09:19:00.000-08:002009-01-29T09:24:07.883-08:00

p>It all started about a month ago.  Every time I opened the pantry a faint aroma came wafting out at me.  You know the kind I am talking about right?  That, I think there might be a problem but I will check it out later 'cuz I am too busy right now smell,  you do all know that smell right?A few days go by and I start doing some investigating.  I like to call it the "finger poke".  Where I stick

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-68286672190441374282009-01-20T04:11:00.000-08:002009-01-20T04:24:51.429-08:00

First of all, we'd like to give another wave to our growing audience. We're really happy you found us and enjoy the 4 or More blog. We've gotten a few emails asking us who runs this blog and requesting more info, so we thought it would help to give a public answer for anyone else who wonders.This blog is an extension of Lotsofkids.com, a website that is devoted to supporting large families (

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-50854588048201249622009-01-17T16:26:00.000-08:002009-01-17T16:29:38.954-08:00

A good friend of mine is expecting her sixth child any day now. Her due date is February 2nd, but since all but one of her kids thus far has been two weeks early, we're all anxiously waiting for the phone call telling us little Charlie has been born. On Friday, she was invited to a sister-in-law's house for a few hours. When she returned home, the house had been cleaned, down to the fingerprints

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-48216069683608603332009-01-10T08:46:00.000-08:002009-01-20T09:31:08.228-08:00

Come on. You are invited to the fancy dinner.Place: The Living RoomTime: After the children are fedDress: Thrift store fare. Formal (women and girls) Flannel (men and boys)It's become tradition, this fancy dinner. Tonight is the third edition. Women put dinner in the oven, feed the children, exchange jeans for gowns. Doors are shut all over the house as everyone dresses.Little girl eyes sparkle

Katenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-49291551899155780792009-01-05T19:01:00.001-08:002009-01-12T12:43:37.912-08:00

Every year, for the last 13 years, the HGTV network has built and given away a "Dream Home". For the last few years my kids and I have watched the show and entered to win. It has become a tradition for us to study the house and figure out how we would make it work for us, if we were to win.This years house is particularly challenging. It is BEAUTIFUL, but leaves a lot to be desired when it comes

Denisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16969173185045558595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-89054054527330149742009-01-01T11:50:00.000-08:002009-01-13T07:58:24.900-08:00

Hello all. I am happy to report that Scott and I are back home from China with our new daughter and everyone is making a pretty good adjustment. We learned a lot on our trip, and there was one night at dinner when it occurred to me that this was what it was like to only have one child. It has been so long since we only had to get one child ready to go it felt kind of odd. It was so nice to

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-1225095871971135592009-01-01T10:33:00.000-08:002009-01-01T10:36:05.547-08:00

As we approach 2009 with detemination and hope, we would like to send our warmest and sincerest wishes for a happy, healthy, and safe New Year! We are excited at the thought of the year to come, and will be here sharing our ups, downs, joy, and trials of raising a large family.

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-69766692110063684542009-01-01T09:52:00.000-08:002009-01-01T10:55:15.411-08:00

Note: This is cross-posted at the Mega-Moms blogI was recently interviewed for an article on how you handle toddlers when attending sports and other public activities for your older children. Of course, mega-moms usually have to juggle this kind of stuff more often, since having a group of teens and preschoolers (as well as all the middles) is pretty common.Kids, Indoor Sports and ToddlersOf

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-76030427342165119912008-12-20T12:24:00.000-08:002008-12-22T03:16:44.947-08:00

You miss the mark. A wisp of an idea, a whisper, a breath during these happy, creative days. Cookie baking and Christmas carols. You miss the mark. Stories and puzzles in front of the fireplace. Hot chocolate. Presents...storebought and homemade. You miss the mark.This unrest grows and swells until, finally "How? How am I missing?" I look into the lives of others and am not found wanting in

Katenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-91111891539529165212008-12-17T08:16:00.000-08:002008-12-17T08:26:01.134-08:00

Hello everyone! I am excited to announce that we are expecting our fifth child late this summer! We are all thrilled, and the kids think it is so neat to look at the pictures online at babies in utero. I am suffering from my usual all-day-long sickness, though, and I am in quite a hurry for that to pass. I will post again later, when I have more energy!A blessed Christmas to everyone! Shelley

mammamilkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03988694337145379370noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-25805535976163641092008-12-14T20:50:00.000-08:002008-12-14T21:13:17.512-08:00

One dollar! Who will buy us for just one dollar? Down here! One shelf below Timmy the Tooth on VHS. Down. Behind the green press-on nails. Yes! Us! The Goon Shoes! We'll fit all of your children with these handy straps! We're bouncy! We're fun!No! No, lady! Don't make your boy put us back. We're not junk! You don't know! You, you middle-aged woman with big feet! Please! Pleeease take us home!

Katenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-9943877441033977752008-12-09T16:05:00.000-08:002008-12-09T20:03:35.752-08:00

is simply magical. It's so fun to be the mother and watch it happen. We don't have a lot of family around, so mostly it's just us. Here are some of our traditions:* We try to keep Christmas fairly simple and focused on the Savior. We usually sponsor a Sub-for-Santa family and go shopping together to pick out gifts the children would like. It is so sweet to see my children thinking about what

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-50907406219387304512008-12-05T04:15:00.000-08:002008-12-05T19:59:21.502-08:00

Hi all! Lately I have been having a hard time with time management and motivation. To try and inspire myself I am making up a daily What I Did Today List. This way instead of feeling bad about everything that I didn't accomplish on my To-Do List I can feel good about the things that I did get done.I will be posting my Daily List on my personal blog nightly through the rest of this month in hopes

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-18556001846551882952008-12-02T02:17:00.000-08:002008-12-02T02:40:19.178-08:00

Actually, my face was newer once upon a time. Now it's older with the wisdom of motherhood. Pah! Got you there didn't I?!My name is Tania, married to Michael and we have seven children, with number eight due to make his or her entrance into the world some time around May 2009, God willing.Our children are Ben (15), Stephanie (14), Caitlin (9), Harry (5), Eddie (3), Sid (2) and Patrick, also known

Tania @ Larger Family Lifenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-60464195930334810682008-11-26T15:04:00.000-08:002008-11-27T02:30:58.635-08:00

From all of us at the 4orMore Blog, and from the Lotsofkids.com Family...

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-47812006773827126922008-11-25T10:49:00.000-08:002008-11-25T12:28:20.746-08:00

These past few weeks have flown by at warp speed. We received our official referral phone call at the end of Oct, even though we knew who our daughter was because we picked her from the waiting child list. Friday, we had our confirmed travel authorization and US consulate appointment, and we purchased our international plane tickets to pick up our new daughter in China. Scott and I will be

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-13494789049178276302008-11-24T08:17:00.000-08:002008-11-24T08:21:11.422-08:00

Laundry, the bane of my existence. Once someone said to me that they didn't mind doing the laundry, that it was actually one of those chores they liked to do. She went on to say something about seeing progress, i.e. clothes come out clean, they get folded or hung up and put away. That you can see that you have accomplished something. I did not want to be a bubble burster (is that a word?) but I

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-5380525683440306702008-11-15T03:56:00.000-08:002008-11-15T04:00:44.592-08:00

I've been meaning the tweak the sidebar here for quite some time. Thankfully at the urging of another LOK blogger, I've gotten around to doing it. You'll now see that we have added a subscription box for our blog and comment feeds. You can now easily get to the blogs of all the contributors here. We've added a way for you to link to this blog to show your support. And a bunch more. So,

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-54522187252725716032008-11-11T10:06:00.000-08:002008-11-11T12:57:23.247-08:00

People often wonder, out loud, how those of us with larger than average families manage it. While sometimes I believe people are just being downright rude, there are other times when I believe that the person asking the question truly wants to know the answer. There are those of us out there that grew our families slowly, one child at a time. Or families like Jon and Kate plus 8 that just kind of

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-30991686623851958172008-11-01T10:10:00.000-07:002008-12-17T08:25:47.937-08:00

When we had our fourth child, everyone said, "You need to get a bigger house! You need more space!" Really? I thought. Sure it would be nice to have a little more room, but I didn't feel too cramped. Our house is 2100 square feet. We have four bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a living room, family room, dining room and eat in kitchen. After a recent remodel, we also have a toy room in the basement. What

mammamilkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03988694337145379370noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-9997178437873632722008-10-28T20:13:00.000-07:002008-10-29T19:02:05.212-07:00

I've got six kids. Three boys and three girls. Whenever I tell anybody this, they look at me like I must be a complete lunatic. I have, in fact, had people say "WOW". Now to me, six doesn't seem like a particularly BIG number. My husband and I have been together for 26 yrs...married for almost 22. Our oldest is 21 and our youngest turned a year old last May. Because of the age range, I really

Denisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16969173185045558595noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-5981170348910295872008-10-27T18:23:00.000-07:002008-10-28T09:11:28.024-07:00

Hello all! This is my first post here, and I am excited to be a part of the 4 or more board! I have been married for 12 years to my wonderful husband, and we have 4 kids, an 8 year old daughter, a 7 year old son, a 4 year old son, and a 2 year old son. I am a former teacher turned stay at home mom. In my "spare" time (what is that again?) I love to read, sing, shop and camp (does the fact

mammamilkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03988694337145379370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-45644814925603786732008-10-24T11:12:00.000-07:002008-10-24T17:12:06.089-07:00

I have 5 children. They range in ages from 12 to 10 months. 3 girls and 2 boys. Recently I went on a field trip to a certain farm, that shall remain nameless, with my kindergartner. On the way there I started reminiscing about the other times I have been on this field trip, you know, how cold it was last time, remember I forgot to bring gloves for my son that one year, etc. And then it occurred

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-20926247343088161802008-10-21T16:55:00.000-07:002008-10-21T18:16:08.231-07:00

These days, it seems that reading the newspaper or watching news on television has become scary. But some days it just makes me laugh. No, really. I sit with my cup of coffee and peruse articles online or in the paper about how families can make their dollars go farther in today's economy. These so called financial experts are recommending things that many large families, including my own, have

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-11522122229645699952008-10-21T06:12:00.000-07:002008-10-21T16:05:06.727-07:00

Everything around here is pretty darn good....Things are flowing pretty well normal. The girls had Brownies last night and Sparks. Ash got her family cooking badge. She was pretty excited. We went to a tree auction on the weekend and bought a whole whack of fruit trees, so we spent most of the weekend planting. The kids had some friends over for a sleep over on saturday night, so that was

The Walker'snoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-43910036291510970492008-10-15T06:47:00.000-07:002008-10-21T05:35:19.312-07:00

the colours , the smells, everything. The kids have been out playing in the leaves together for the last two days, soaking in the sun. Its great to watch them play together. We spent some time yesterday getting the garden and farm set for winter...what a job that is. Now that my oldest can drive teh tractor and pull the trailer though it makes my like tht much easier. Yesterday the two oldest

The Walker'snoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-85660318209488354692008-10-14T12:38:00.001-07:002008-10-15T05:58:47.812-07:00

Whew were through Thanksgiving! It was crazy around here, having all the grandparents and brothers and sisters over for a feast. It was nice, but I am still putting my house back together. Its official, The husband and I have decided to go for number 5! Were beside ourselves with excitment. even though we know that our families arent going to be happy about it. I dont understand how people can

The Walker'snoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-77602257301320116392008-10-06T06:56:00.000-07:002008-10-06T07:24:53.590-07:00

I have to admit that Autumn is my favorite season. The colors are fabulous and the weather usually is just right for my tastes, I don't like being too hot or too cold. I will turn on the central air at the first sign of warmth and equally I will throw on the furnace if my toes get too frosty. The Power Company just loves me. The real reason that I am so partial to Autumn though is that this

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-50087251892677230132008-10-01T06:36:00.000-07:002008-10-01T12:37:20.168-07:00

Greetings AllI have posted in awhile, but I am re inspired , so look out for this blogging maniac..lolIntro of sorts, I am a SAHM Homschooling Organic Farmer Mama of 4. Wow thats a mouth ful! We are living out out life on our own amazing little organic farm and loving it . I have 4 children, ages 11, 8, 6 and 2. We are currently in negotiations for baby #5 , I will keep you posted..lolLife here

The Walker'snoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-90313511551669694562008-09-23T13:42:00.000-07:002008-09-23T13:49:12.121-07:00

When we started these blogs about a year ago, we had no idea they would become so popular. We hoped they would, but when you start something, you never can be sure how it will be taken. We want to extend a warm thanks to all of our readers, and thank you for the kind words of support. Remember, feedback is a great thing, so if you enjoy a blog, please leave a comment! It is a great

LotsOfKidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752824616171575207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-40372425876994104242008-09-13T10:23:00.000-07:002008-09-13T10:30:41.282-07:00

My children are in various stages of dressing independence. Most of them have moved out of the stage where they are content to let Mama choose their clothes for them. Because they are making their own wardrobe decisions sometimes a really bad choice slides under my radar.It has happened once or twice that I’ve looked up from my work in the kitchen to see the children playing outside after a

Katenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-309801176805495852008-09-04T06:28:00.000-07:002008-12-14T21:15:45.702-08:00

Claire is a planner. She found out on Christmas Day that we would be going to Disney in March. She immediately got out her suitcase and had that baby packed down to the toothbrush in ten minutes. We unpacked her pajamas every night at bedtime for three months. Nothing puts that girl into high gear like a road trip.She is excited today because we are headed to Atlanta. Claire packs her clothes.

Katenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-32928047021531726442008-08-26T11:46:00.000-07:002008-09-23T13:40:49.630-07:00

It had been a lazy summer. On Wednesday, August 20th our house was a bustling of activity bright and early. Five children sleepily getting ready for school earlier than they had been up since May. I was surprised at how calmly they all got dressed. We managed to get their school clothes on, teeth brushed, hair brushed and everyone fed by 7am. It was a happy day for all of us. I was anxious

B4 you even asknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-26436592297149456052008-08-22T14:15:00.000-07:002008-09-23T13:40:12.484-07:00

This week the kids started back to school. It hit me this summer pretty hard that I now have a middle school student! He is such a wonderful young man and I am incredibly proud of his accomplishments. The very first day of school, he came home to announce that he wanted to try out for the fall play. Oh my, I am so excited. I loved drama club as a student, and I am so happy that he is getting

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-57194395986859060102008-08-21T07:27:00.000-07:002008-08-21T07:29:59.012-07:00

Drat-tic-us-interj [LL drat Used primarily by Charlie. Invented by Claire as she reminds us every time Charlie says it.] (2008) 1: darn 2: shoot 3: Curses, foiled again! Example:“No, Charlie, you don’t have enough money to buy a robot.”“Oh, dratticus.”“No, Charlie, you can’t have a cheesestick. It’s almost dinner time.“Oh, dratticus.”Sounds best delivered with a pouty lip and a little stamp of

Katenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-17109645322899588562008-06-13T07:53:00.000-07:002008-09-23T13:40:36.500-07:00

It was Friday, May 16th. I posted on one of the lotsofkids forums about taking an hpt. I was 10dpo by my chart. Originally, I wanted to wait until I was 12dpo before I tested. I tend to be a testaholic. I was able to wait until 10dpo, but not longer. I looked at the stick. I saw the color wash over the test and thought I saw a line. This was not the first test I have taken in my 3+ years

B4 you even asknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-27810980928909895572008-06-06T06:12:00.000-07:002008-12-14T21:16:29.924-08:00

I recently received an e-mail from a friend asking for ways she could bring order to the chaos taking over her house. As a mother of many, you probably have the chaos monster well under control at your house but in case you are looking for organizational ideas, I thought I would share what works for our family. Although we currently live in a spacious house, these principles were forged during

Katenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-75136128678889494202008-05-07T19:21:00.000-07:002008-05-07T19:38:17.484-07:00

In my family we give yellow roses. I am not sure how far back the tradition goes, but I know that my grandfather would give my grandmother yellow roses and my parents had yellow roses in their wedding. Whenever there was an anniversary or a birthday, there would be beautiful yellow roses. At each house my parents owned, we planted yellow rose bushes. I cannot imagine sending my mother

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-55139186319169145072008-04-18T08:44:00.000-07:002008-04-18T08:49:15.068-07:00

DH and I decided a few months ago that we wanted to get a male ginkgo tree as Grace's memorial tree. They are slow-growing, but they have neat fan-shaped leaves, and the trees can live hundreds (even thousands!) of years. Ginkgo trees are also unique because there are both male and female trees (but you don't want to get a female tree because the fruit has an awful smell). I'd called a local

Melanienoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-24331730452540273762008-04-14T19:16:00.000-07:002008-04-14T19:39:20.224-07:00

This is the time of year that things get hairy with my five. There are 4 in soccer and 1 in softball. It is also time for Science Fair AND we have a major school fundraiser coming up in a few short weeks. Throw on top of that ONE more training for one of our kidlets. Jordan is training to be an altar boy.This is what last Saturday looked like...We woke up and had a quick breakfast and got the

B4 you even asknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-22029738754959560702008-04-10T15:42:00.000-07:002008-12-14T21:16:06.942-08:00

You wouldn't know we are related. We neither look nor act alike. I love soft garments in muted colors. Faith calls to mind Joseph in his coat of many colors. She wears trendy, flowing clothes...each piece a kaliedescope of brightness. The clothes on her bottom half do not usually match her top half. We don't sound alike either. I sing bits of Sara Groves or Nicole Nordeman while I work. She sings

Katenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-79953071854489787912008-04-07T11:32:00.000-07:002008-04-07T11:53:09.828-07:00

Oh, I love it! OK, so I don't love the clearing out the rooms, taping off the trim, etc. But, once it is done, I love the way it brightens up a room and makes it fresh and new again. We spent this weekend painting into the wee hours of the mornings, and there is still some finish details to do, but it is beautiful. The girls' room is bright with a soft lavender on the top, a mint green stripe

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-3074059679164153852008-03-25T15:52:00.000-07:002008-12-14T21:16:48.575-08:00

After story hour, we sat with our knees above the little table in the children’s section, one young mother and I, surrounded by our broods. The children pounded salt dough flat and squashed cookie cutters into it to produce lumpy vehicles. They dangled their creations inches from our faces so we could admire their work. Charlie squashed and tasted. “Yuck! Charlie! Don’t do that!” He peeled off

Katenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-47584742053252369252008-03-24T23:20:00.000-07:002008-03-27T10:08:08.155-07:00

Easter Sunday in my house was a little different this year. My four eldest kids wanted to have a sleep over at my parents house this weekend and the only day that suited everyone was on Saturday night. So I woke up on Sunday morning with only my baby and my partner in the house.It was very odd to wake up on Sunday morning and not do the whole Easter Bunny thing. The Easter bunny still visited

A Juggling Mumnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-24080446788779239742008-03-11T08:51:00.000-07:002008-03-11T09:25:02.824-07:00

Today I thought that maybe we would take a little trip down memory lane. I have been sitting here thinking about the way our children make their way into our lives. So let me start at the beginning, Brenna, she will be twelve years old this month. Brenna is proof that miracles do happen! Let me explain, I was 17 years old and Brian and I had been dating for less than a year. We were in Mass. for

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-86318829666357286962008-03-10T20:33:00.000-07:002008-03-10T21:09:15.187-07:00

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I've got a bag of clothes that look like they might be just the right size for Charlie." Our pastor's wife looked apologetic, worried that I might be offended at her offer of FREE clothes. I looked around at my crew, all handsomely dressed in hand-me-downs and thrift store bargains. "Nope. I'm not offended at all. A bag of hand-me-downs is like

Katenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-19274194580184645202008-03-04T09:42:00.000-08:002008-03-04T13:06:42.283-08:00

Spring is on the way. I know it is. Really. The calendar promises that it cannot be winter forever, it just feels that way. But, March is here, and we had our first days of 65 degree weather on Saturday and Sunday for March to come in like a Lamb... wait, isn't that backwards? Oh well. The temperatures dropped back to 35 for Monday and today, so our little snippet that Spring is coming was

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-21409555462812698682008-03-04T08:54:00.000-08:002008-03-04T10:29:15.040-08:00

We just finished celebrating 2 birthdays in our family. DH's 34th birthday was the 28th, and DD2's 4th birthday was the 2nd.A funny thing about their birthdays ... whenever anyone hears DH's birthday is February 28th, they always make a comment about him almost being born on the 29th, but the year he was born wasn't a leap year! The year DD2 was born was a leap year though, and I remember

Melanienoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-75771531976893639922008-03-03T18:42:00.000-08:002008-03-03T19:02:06.986-08:00

Well, it has been tactfully brought to my attention that it is rude to commit to a blog if you are not actually going to blog. So here I am with my tail between my legs, meekly joining back into the forum. As a quick reintroduction, I am Jillienne, mother to a fabulous four kids and in the midst of an extremely crazy (not always good crazy) adoption journey. I have been married to Brian for 11

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-25643732173540100232008-02-26T19:08:00.000-08:002008-03-04T13:09:29.076-08:00

We are officially expecting a 5 year old little girl!!!!The call came tonight, and I cried for joy, sitting in a restaurant, not caring who was watching!

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-78713356946000449382008-02-19T06:49:00.000-08:002008-02-19T06:58:44.812-08:00

Today is my due date, but I'm not pg. Today is the day our daughter Grace was due, a day we excitedly anticipated. Yet here I sit, filled with sadness, my heart breaking once again, missing our daughter whom we didn't get to know.Would she have had blonde hair or dark? What color would her eyes have turned? Would Grace have liked princesses and ponies like her older sisters? Would she have been

Melanienoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-92023848252387785612008-02-07T19:02:00.000-08:002008-02-11T03:13:06.530-08:00

and knowing that I should have realized it. I guess I should explain before I don't make sense to myself. God is in charge. I am ready to leave it all up to HIM now. I realize that I have been kicking and screaming this whole time trying to control it myself. Dh has been without a job for nearly 5 months. God has provided this whole time. Our children are provided for. Their private

B4 you even asknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-49385440001530377362008-02-06T10:02:00.000-08:002008-02-06T10:07:20.418-08:00

Yesterday my baby boy turned 18 mo old. Where did the time go?DS3 still doesn't say much. He can say "mama" and "dada", but that's about it. At his 18 mo check-up yesterday, I asked the dr if DS3 had a lot of ear wax in his ears (His ear canals seem to be a bit "squished" or oval like DD1's rather than big and round like the other kids', and DD1 sometimes has trouble with earwax buildup which can

Melanienoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-18214132882216469832008-02-05T13:36:00.000-08:002008-02-11T03:14:09.185-08:00

Valentine's Day is getting closer, and it has made me think. When I was growing up, my father would buy each of us a red heart Valentine's Day balloon. Even when I was a rebellous teenager, my dad instilled in me the concept that I was loved unconditionally just because I was me, even when he did not approve of my actions. When I was older, and married, my dad would call me every Valentine's

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-24520952712653455322008-01-27T20:54:00.000-08:002008-01-28T07:48:32.446-08:00

...and I am all kinds of happy!!! Yeah, I know, that may just permanently define me as totally not normal, but really, normal is over-rated.I might need to elaborate. Every year I go through this crazy, paperwork-obsessed time. It always happens in January and February. You know, it is tax filing season, so I go through every pile of papers in my home to find all of the stuff I need. Now,

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-21466744529384399592008-01-06T19:55:00.000-08:002008-12-14T21:17:23.661-08:00

I know it’s been awhile since I’ve sat down with all of you for a visit. December came and went before I could catch my breath. Here’s what I’ve been doing with Stuart and the kids:…celebrating the birthday of our very first teenager. (I just want to stop time!)...setting phone limits for said teenager.…celebrating the first lost tooth of child number four.…teaching child number five to put on

Katenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-54170142009919481322008-01-03T20:47:00.000-08:002008-01-04T04:03:15.680-08:00

Last years slate has been wiped clean and the new year is full of hope and wonderful possibilities. I am a list maker and planner (something my Dh teases me about constantly) so at this time of the year I like to think about what I would like to achieve during the year. There is nothing better than opening a clean fresh note book and writing down your goals. I do this every year and it's good to

A Juggling Mumnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-21680199978344250182008-01-02T17:36:00.000-08:002008-01-03T03:38:16.296-08:00

This Christmas was like none other I can think of. Two weeks before Christmas, we were told that my father was very ill, and there was a possibility that he would not survive until Easter. My husband and I decided to spend my father's last Christmas with my family, so we packed at the last minute, and drove half way across the country to be here in time. We arrived on Sat Dec 22nd, and he was

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-81339684470227949202008-01-02T08:49:00.000-08:002008-01-03T03:40:06.383-08:00

I have failed miserably this Christmas. Of course, they all had presents and they are all happy with what they have received. Unfortunately, I have failed them as a Catholic mother in teaching them that this time of year is about so much more. Dh losts his job in October. It has been well over 2 months and the two places he was interviewing with have declined to make an offer. This has

B4 you even asknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-70400749897838186232007-12-21T12:59:00.000-08:002007-12-21T13:25:49.061-08:00

This year Christmas came early to our house! We have been "patiently" waiting for the referral for our baby from Ethiopia! By "patiently" I mean carrying around both the home phone and my cell phone, compulsively checking my emails and just generally driving everyone crazy. I had just about resigned myself to not getting a call until after the holidays when a miracle happened. A email popped

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-58754983402921708792007-12-20T09:10:00.000-08:002007-12-22T04:54:50.827-08:00

When I was thinking about the Christmas traditions and what to write, I only had one thing pop into my head. Then the more I started thinking about it, the more things I realize that we do that could be call a tradition. Instead of writing a nice post about our traditions and for the sake of time....because I think there are only 3,000,295 presents left to wrap I am going to make a list of them

Jilliennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285624906489864685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-51080595478066552652007-12-20T07:06:00.000-08:002007-12-20T07:08:54.122-08:00

With Christmas quickly approaching, I wanted to share a cute little cartoon with you. Wishes for a warm and wonderful Christmas to all of our Christian friends, and a special and peaceful December 25th for everyone.

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-45628550112113500242007-12-16T08:42:00.000-08:002007-12-16T08:43:32.880-08:00

We're continuing to make some changes to the system, which includes a "default" avatar so our bloggers can post even when they are not at their own computers. Remember that all postings also include the name of the blogger, so you can still see who is posting. We'll try to update the avatars from the "generic" to the blogger pic at the earliest possible.

LotsOfKidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752824616171575207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-73058605795977412422007-12-11T13:54:00.000-08:002007-12-11T14:06:17.200-08:00

Last night the weathermen said that today we would be under a winter storm warning from 3:00 am-3:00 pm. They were predicting an ice storm with that, saying we would get 1/4-1/2" of ice on the roads.This morning school was cancelled. Freezing rain was coming down for quite a while. Around 9:30 or 10:00 this morning it changed to snow. Some sort of precipitation has been coming down all day

Melanienoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-46384982811221635602007-12-06T18:19:00.000-08:002007-12-07T00:01:36.164-08:00

I love Christmas, I always have. I have very fond memories of Christmas as a child. My Aunt and Uncle and my three cousins would come down from the coast and stay with us. We would all squash into our small house on Christmas Eve and wake up together on Christmas morning. Before everyone was properly awake we would all be ripping into our presents from Santa and would have pulled every toy from

A Juggling Mumnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-42675146860125574382007-12-06T10:49:00.000-08:002007-12-07T20:22:20.140-08:00

Our family has quite a few traditions we follow every year around Christmastime. Here are some of them:Advent CalendarsWe have a wooden Advent calendar that hangs on our wall in December. It is made to look like a stable with wooden figures on it of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in the manger. The manger is 3-D. Inside of the manger are wooden stars numbered 1-25 that the kids take turns hanging

Melanienoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-77777524616721154032007-12-03T13:26:00.000-08:002007-12-03T13:46:30.397-08:00

It has been quite busy around here lately. Dh has been out of work for well over 6 weeks now. It is tough keeping up with things, but things are going well anyway. Dh is home all of the time. We had an interesting Turkey Day, but we are thrilled that it is Advent. I love the time of waiting. I love to hear O Come O Come Emmanuel during this liturgical season at Mass. I like my kids to hear

B4 you even asknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-61690485746992186762007-11-29T20:47:00.000-08:002007-12-07T09:14:39.369-08:00

Hi! I'm just now coming on board to blog here, so I thought I'd introduce myself.I'm Melanie. My DH and I have been married for 10 years. We've been blessed with 5 munchkins (GBBGB) ranging in age from 9 down to 1 year old. This past October we were heartbroken to learn at a routine prenatal appt that our 6th baby, who we were expecting to be born in February 2008, had died. I was induced, and

Melanienoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-48034292707789073262007-11-29T15:50:00.000-08:002008-12-14T21:17:52.426-08:00

It’s nearly eleven p.m. and all of the children fell asleep by eight, tucked into sleeping bags at the foot of my bed. We transformed the bedroom into sick bay as one child after another came down with a hacking cough and an aching body. Charlie got sick on Sunday night and by Monday afternoon all five children and Stuart were coughing and shivering and aching. I alone remain healthy. Now it’s

Katenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-34472276687156511712007-11-21T07:10:00.000-08:002007-11-27T15:20:11.273-08:00

I don't cook turkey. I cook side dishes and pies. But, I don't cook turkey. Fortunately for me, my husband can cook a fabulous turkey. My father-in-law apparently was king of the turkey prep while my husband was growing up, and I guess it rubbed off on Scott during his youth. He actually LIKES to cook turkey. It is a whole production. All of the kids are involved somehow, from mixing and cooking

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-70615670607859288262007-11-21T03:21:00.000-08:002007-11-21T07:27:16.451-08:00

My parents divorced when I was in grade school. My mother became a single mother of 4 kids. She was from down south, so we didn't have any family here in Chicago. This meant our holidays were spent alone. Most people envision big family get-togethers around Thanksgiving. For our family, there was only 5 of us around the table every year. Funny thing, I have no sad memories of that, only happy.

LotsOfKidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752824616171575207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-24118681174640114742007-11-20T18:53:00.000-08:002007-11-20T19:08:56.008-08:00

My poor hubby. He doesn't travel as much as many husbands do, but he does go out of town for an overnight a couple of times a month. Problem is that we tend to have these "little emergencies" when he is gone. Two weeks ago one of the parakeets died while he was gone. Tonight, Joseph had hives that caused his face and toungue to swell. He is ok now... I loaded him up with Benedryl, put all

erika's funny farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07340515859829692151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5102693125490677462.post-58825345404453598562007-11-16T20:58:00.000-08:002008-12-14T21:18:16.473-08:00

Two suburbans rumble toward New York. One shivers its way down out of the Cascade Mountains. My sister is at the wheel. Four kids play “Cows in the Cemetary” and “Scavenger Hunt” in the back seat. The fifth rides shotgun with an atlas and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in her lap. They sing along to Willie Nelson and Taj Mahal as they drive among the western pines and out into the fields of

Katenoreply@blogger.com1