A Thorn Among Roses

The park!!  Yeah!!  P was in school...so sad...so she missed out, but we rocked it out!   First, a picnic ...delish PBJ Sandwiches (i love that my kiddos are PBJS *big sqeal of delight*) and fixins.  ...and a nap for little miss sofie! Second, a fab bike ride on the nature trail.  Kiddos and Hubby helped me find some goodies to make a centerpiece for the dining room table (thx  screaming meme)    Pics of that to follow later. And then, the grand finale... ...the playground . We are off today for more family fun...this time at the homefront. :) Happy Labor Day Weekend...get some rest!  Have some fun!!

We were at our friends house last night visiting with b-mom for #3 and her bio sibs.   And who has a party without a rock band?? The venue was amazing...or not! (notice the dolls and animals who also attended) And the band... "High School Musical 2" rocked it out!   (they obviously named the band themselves) Against the ( neon green) walls of Andre's bedroom, and the lights from the light saber, the show was pretty hot.  My favorite part was when everyone sang their own favorite song all at the same time.  Sweet! Happy Friday...long weekend!  Yeah!

My blogger friend, Lindsay , had this little sniblet on her blog this morn.  So, I thought "why not?".  HowManyOfMe.com There are 1 or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name? Now, I know that my name is not normal...thanks to my Mom, who thought she made up my name ( reality check ...but it's still very sweet) and a hubby, who I love, that well, is from a great family, but really, there are only 335 in the US? Well, all in all, I think it reminds me that I am special .  And, it's just like one of kiddos fav books...you have to stop and read this!!! "...I still would be the same you see... I like myself because I'm ME!!"

Sisters always have each others backs... Play along with Wordful Wednesday...check out angie's blog to see who else is in today.

As a parent of 4 girls, I have learned to appreciate the small things in life.  Really, some the of the smallest things end up being the biggest. Last night, for the first time ever, Little Miss slept through the night.   It took almost 8 months, but she did it!  And, to add to the victory, B and JK didn't wake up with any monsters or need for anything either.  The Lord certainly shone peace on this house last night. I am sooooo excited!!  I know, it's not that big of a deal.  But IT IS!!!

I am just so honored... ...I'm not sure who I should thank.  Oh, the little people.   Just kidding.  I did, however, get two (count them, two) more blogger awards today from  Penelope  at  Life's Sweet Passions .  So, now the honors go to.  Envelope please.   Bienvenue All You Have to Giv e Karen at The Rocking Pony Meaghan at Meg and the Boys Angie Cooks too at Cooking for a Circus Has to Be Simple Carrie at Oikology Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional ...and ladies...here are the details on how to pass on your awards: 1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.  2. Link the person you received your award from.  3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.  4. Put links of those blogs on yours.  5. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you’ve nominated. 6. Enjoy your awards!

My family and some of our friends are walking in the Mitochondrial Disease Walk in October. We have close family friends, Nicole and Johnnie, who have a daughter, Abigail, with Mitochondrial Disease . We are walking to raise money...but there's a very serious problem with the walk. WE NEED A TEAM NAME!!!! Ok, seriously, it's gotta be good. So this is where you come in. Help me out...and keep it clean, please! :)

My parents had this hanging in their house when I was a kid.  A number of years ago, I picked it up and brought it home.  I had a great childhood...I have a great family.  So, I thought I should re-look at this little memory and take it to heart. It's small, so this is what is says... Thou shalt look upon thy child, not as a possession belonging to thee, but as a sacred trust from God. Thou shalt be honest in all dealing with thy child, then honesty and obedience can be expected of him. Thou shalt regard thy child’s respect and love, not as a duty to be demanded, but as an achievement to be earned. Remember when thou art out of patience with they child’s faults to take time to count to ten—of thine own. Remember that the surest way to make it hard for thy child is to make it too easy for him.   He should learn early the meaning of discipline and responsibility. Thou shalt have daily prayers and Bible reading with thy family, and thou shalt always thank God for food befo...

So, my fun friend, dysfunctional mom , gave me my very first real blog award.  It's so much fun!  I am now a kick a$$ blogger...i really wish (on a side note) that it didn't have a$$ in it, so I'm a kick booty blogger!  Oh yeah! Now, I get to award my favorite 5 blogs...and it's hard!  There are so many...but here they are: 1.   Meg and The Boys 2.   7 CLown Circus 3.   Screaming Meme 4.   Buried with Children 5.   Surrounded By Sea Monkeys Take a few minutes and check these ladies out!  They will rock your face off!! 

...you just need a rescue med to get you through!!   

I noticed yesterday as B and JK were outside playing...they seemed to find a lot of treasure. Most of what they 'discovered' and gifted to me were the things outside we rake or blow away or put chemicals on to kill. So I got to thinking...I know, not now...it's Friday. But I did. Why is it that I don't see the beauty in the dandelion...that I see a weed and that I need to call the lawn application guy and talk to him about the fact that we pay good money to get rid of those darn things and they are coming back. You know what I mean, I'm sure. Anyway, I decided to take a different look at what the girls brought to me yesterday, and I decided there was great beauty in the simple things. Leaves...fascinating. How in the world did the Lord create all of those ideas with the veins and colors and well, everything. Dandelions...what a beautiful color of yellow. It's bright like sunshine and really, when there's a lot of them in one place, (like a field, not...

Ok, call me crazy, but my fab sister-in-law, Meaghan (visit her at MegAndTheBoys ), inspired me to make my baby food.  Now, I'm the Momma of 4 girls...and Gerber has been just fine, but I have to say, I really have fallen in love with the whole thing.  Thanks, Meg!! So, here's to fresh baby food.  And thanks to Wholesome Baby Foods for their fab recipes and ideas.   Yummo!!  Sofie (or little miss baby bird)...loves the peaches!! ...and she's super sweet too!!

My middle two have a passion for cooking.  It was enhanced by the incredible Disney nove, Rattouille.  I have caught them making some interesting 'recipes' of late.  The worst...definitely red pop, sour cream and onion chips, pink  lemonade, sugar, gum balls, water.  "Red Soup", as they call it, was truly one of the grossest things I've ever encountered as a Mother.  (And...they tasted it!) So, to push along my little chef's, I found sweet pink toque's at Target ($1) and they donned their aprons...and we cooked! Ok, it was instant pudding...but it turned green when the milk hit it!   So, remember: Anyone CAN COOK! (and leave it to B to have her own 'little chef')

...herself!  And for those of you with preemies, you know how great this is!  Yeah! And, when it's all over, I always 'feel the love'!  So much fun!

My husband, Ryan, and I have been more than blessed with 4 girls, who are all so different and all so majestically perfect in their own way.  We have come to parenting in many ways...i think maybe every way you can, but I'm not certain!  One daughter is biological to me only...one privately adopted, one foster to adopt and one biological to the both of us...and 11 other foster children in the mix so far.  So, I share this story that was shared with us during our first adoption.  Maybe someone can relate...or get some strength through it.  Our Trip to Australia (Poem By Diane Armitage) Deciding to have a baby is like planning a trip to Australia.   You’ve heard it’s a wonderful place, you’ve read many guidebooks and feel certain you’re ready to go.   Everyone you know has traveled there by plane. They say it can be a turbulent flight with occasional rough landings, but you can look forward to being pampered on the trip.      So you go to the airport and ask the ticket agent for ...

I'm feeling the love!!! I am so excited! I'm one of the saucy blogs this week on SITS (the secret is in the sauce...check it out!!) Yeah! Hello SITSa's! http://thesecretisinthesauce.blogspot.com/

...sitting on the swing with some of my girls (since we all can't fit at once!) ...the smell of fresh cut flowers ...softball ...fresh fruit ...a tan on me ...sunshine on my shoulders ...time outside with da girls ...bbq ...my birthday ...flip flops all the time ...free time with the fam (no school!!!) what about you?

I am going to sound like an old woman (symbolic of how I remember my own Mom talking when I was a kid), but I just have to say that time with my kiddos is passing before my eyes. Paige is 13...8th grade...and just simply a beautiful, fun girl, who still is a teenager, don't get me wrong. So, as always, on her first day of school, I took a picture...this year, in front of the pantry. Pantry, you may ask? Yes, the pantry. It is the place in the house she spends the most time with the exception of her bedroom, where she eats what she gets from the pantry. I am so proud of her...her choices...her dedication...her, well, just her! So, this post is for my little pig...who's grown into a beautiful young woman.

I don't usually take this blog to rant, mostly b/c i have so many t hings to be thankful and happy about. but... there's JK's adoption and it still not being final after 3 1/2 years. We have totally loved being foster parents...we've fostered more than 11 children (not including JK) and have learned and grown through each of them. We love foster care, so please don't misunderstand that. What I don't love is the adoption process through foster care. Here's a pictorial prepresentation of the time JK has still not been adopted. This is me holding JK thevery first time...she was so precious...she was 10 days old. Couldn't you just eat her up? And, this is us 3 1/2 years later...happy as can be with my #3!! Ok. Back to my rant. The adoption...or lack there of. No reason for it. All the paperwork is done. Judge is on board...has been for over 2 years. She has never spent a night in the home of her biological parents (sad), but visits with them still ...

1. My butt has a crack? What? My butt has cheeks? 2. You've got to see this... 3. Mommy puts this cone on her breast and then milk comes out. It's amazing. 4. Dad, you're doing a great job. 5. I need some air back here! 6. My feet are filthy. I think I need a bath. 7. Or, maybe he got a tattoo. 8. Gabby lives in my heart forever. 9. Oh pickle. 10. Barnacles. 11. I want to be the princess, not the nasty step mother. 12. I did not eat the cupcake. 13. Jesus love 'root naks'...its his favorite food. (fruit snacks) 14. Hey, what's up homey? 15. Stop talking. I am trying to concentrate. 16. Come on people. We're gonna be late for Florida. 17. My Dad drinks a lot of beer. And...he poops a lot. (not true btw, but seriously funny) 18. My finger nail polish came off. 19. Can I give Gabby a P-K-U-G-R-T, treat? 20. Mommy, you're the best mommy ever.

We started celebrating with the big, bad sport of bowling! Oh yeah! And what birthday is complete without a cake? I made a promise to B that I would make her a unicorn cake. I am no Ace of Cakes, but I gave it my best shot. The best part of B being 5, she thought the cake was the best unicorn cake she'd ever seen! Gotta love the enthusiasm of a kid!!!

Look at the love...and it's a little extra special b/c it's at the Ehaus Farm...

Enough said.

The whole clan...all together at the farm. I love Grandma E! She rocks my face off!! 4 generations and going strong.