Thankful on a Friday

I wanted so much to do a Thursday Thankfulness, and I spent all day thinking of all the many things I am so thankful for. Thursday sped by and I did not get my blog written. However, I had a wonderful thankful day thinking of the many wonderful aspects of my life. I am so thankful and so blessed with my family. My children and my husband fill my heart with happiness. Laughter, tears, chaos, noise, all emotions from all extremes fill my house, but I am so thankful for each and every one. I can't imagine my life being any different, and God has truly blessed me. An update on Violet, here is her new skill. The stairs are like a magnet to her. I put her down and she will change her direction to head for the stairs. Yesterday on my thankful Thursday she bumped down the stairs not once, but two times. And yes, I was thankful she did not get hurt too bad.

Oh, she is so proud, look at her laughing!!

Oh look, here is a new discovery. What fun it is to unroll the toilet paper, what a mess she can create. She has even started emptying the bookshelf with our many books--didn't take a picture of that one, it was way to messy to forever remember.

We have been listening to children's worship music and yesterday while I was focusing my thoughts towards thankfulness, this song started playing and I thought how appropriate. Remember this song? Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One, Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ His Son....And now let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich, because of what the Lord has done for us......Give thanks.

Oct 31st

Yes, I am a couple days late here. Someday, I plan on catching up with my life and having everything under control. Back to reality, some days I feel like life is spinning wildly out of control, and I am grasping to catch a hold and keep up. Oh it's not as bad as it sounds. However, I am posting this blog several days late.
We look forward to Halloween so much. We anticipate dressing up in our outfits and visiting my paternal grandma. I just love going to visit her and sadly we just don't visit enough. Halloween is a must. She loves seeing the children all dressed up and watch their enthusiasm as they talk about their costume. All the other elderly folks love to talk and visit with them as well. We just love visiting her. This Halloween we spent all day at our soccer tournament. I was so thankful Ben spent the day with me and helped me with the children all day. Usually I am going to soccer games by myself with all four children, so this was a wonderful treat and a great day as a family. Here is a picture of the kids at their Great Grandma's.

(Rachel is going through a stage of sticking her tongue out when getting her picture taken, I hope this passes soon!)

After visiting Grandma, we head on to the church to have supper and planned activities for the children. When all the events are over, we head home happy and tired, dreaming of next year.

Birthday Bash

On Oct. 27th, we celebrated Ben's birthday together as a family. Birthdays are so very special. We make a big deal out of birthdays! Ashley was a little disappointed that she did not get to go shopping to get daddy a special gift, so I suggested she make something for him, like a picture or a painting. Ashley said she wanted to make choc chip cookies, so after school, she made a batch of cookies. I enjoy working in the kitchen with her, she is such an eager learner. Here we are with Ben's special request: a pumpkin pie made with real pumpkin. (I baked 4 pumpkins earlier in the day for pies)

And opening presents. It is so fun to watch the kids give daddy their gift. They are tearing off the paper before he gets his hands on it. (he doesn't mind, of course)

Later Ben pulled out his trombone that he had when he was younger. This was a special request of Jacob's and they all took turns trying to make some sound with it. We had such a good time together. I realized that this is the 15th birthday I have celebrated with Ben, wow, does time fly. 15 sounds like a long time. Our we that old???

We've had some fun in the leaves, I'm sure we will get out there again for more fall fun. This was our first leaf pile of the year.

I caught this picture of Ben and Jacob playing ball together. It is fun to have some beautiful fall days and being outside together. We have so many things to be thankful for. Some of these memories I hope to treasure forever and capture some on camera. I do believe as crazy, at times stressful, this season is the best one of all. I love my kids, my little family, and I am sooo thankful for each and every one of them. I can't imagine my family being any different.

Changes

We've had some changes in our house. They are for the good of course. Little Violet has been out growing her little cradle that she has been sleeping in, and I have been really wanting to get her in the crib. However, Rachel has been sleeping on the crib mattress on the floor, so, we needed to get Rachel a twin mattress set and do some changes. Here is a picture of Violet's crib corner in Rachel's room. It is so nice to be able to put her in the crib, awake, and let her fall asleep without fear of her falling out and onto a hard wood floor, like in the cradle.
And dear little Rachel got a new bed!! She is so very proud of her big girl bed and has been sleeping in her bed now at night!

Violet enjoys sitting in the highchair watching the supper table chaos while getting used to a sippy cup. Our supper table goals include 1. toning the voices down 2. taking turns talking 3. sitting on the chairs properly. It seems like our meal times are just chaotic. Everyone wants to talk, voices get louder to be heard, and Ben and I are trying to correct proper table etiquette, etc..... Ben and I are very outnumbered here and I think it helps to have a better adult to child ratio. But we do the best we can, we sure aren't perfect, and we do make a lot of mistakes!

Violet continues to crawl everywhere. I really have to watch her. She disappears so quickly and I am often saying "where is Violet?" and "what does she have in her mouth?" She has already fallen down the stairs from the playroom into the garage (4 steps).

Violet has begun to pull herself to a standing position. One reason why I really wanted her out of the cradle. I went in to get her out of the cradle and she was holding on to the side of the cradle standing up!!! So of course I feared her going head first to the floor!! She stands flat footed and locks her legs, and doesn't want to sit back down. Where has my baby gone????

Days fly by, I really don't know where they go or what I do. But children are cared for, played with, read to, and loved. Meals are prepared, snacks are given and diapers are changed. Laundry is never done, house is never cleaned, but every day I am so thankful for where I am and what I am doing. I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to love these kids. I ran across a cute poem that is fun to read

A Mother's Prayer

Father in heaven, make me wise,

So that my gaze may never meet

A question in my children's eyes.

God keep me always kind and sweet,

And patient, too, before their need;

Let each vexation know its place,

Let gentleness be all my creed,

Let laughter live upon my face!

A mother's day is very long,

There are so many things to do!

But never let me lose my song

Before the hardest day is through.

by Margaret E. Sangster