Do You Have Your Ticket

to the gun show?

A couple of nights ago, Brett decided that he would have an arm wrestling contest with the children. Then yesterday and today he was out of town. Claire had to get a work out in so that she could arm wrestle Brett when he got home.

Here she is doing some PUSH-ups.

Here she is doing some BOOK-ups.

Here she is doing some SIT-ups.

Finally, here she is doing some SYR-ups.

We had to take Eli to dance and pick Caleb up after a cross country race, and when we got home Brett's car was in the garage. The children were extremely excited. The girls came running in and told Brett that Claire had been working out so that she could arm wrestle him.

Then, when I made it to him, I whispered to him that Claire had done quite the little workout so that she would be stronger to arm wrestle. I didn't hear the girls tell him that.

There was just enough time to grab the camera before the excitement began.

Emily took a turn arm wrestling Brett.

Claire was very willing to let her go first. Especially when Brett said that he would be worn out. Then it was Claire's turn.

She was really straining to win (which she did). She wanted to use her other hand to help, but she decided to use her chin instead.

STUFF

Today I was working in the living room to de-clutter it. When I do this, I think of the words I have heard about cleaning. I start at the edges of the room and gather the "stuff" into the middle. This time I put the "stuff" together is similar piles. I did this so that when the children came home they could help put it away (and by help I mean they can put it away).

Here is what I found waiting to be put away:

piano books,

too many movies,

hangers to give away,

socks,

books,

dirty clothes and shoes,

cars,

games,

towels,

clean clothes,

random toys,

and shoes and boots.

Most of it is out of my living room now. There are still a few piles of "stuff" to take care of.

My How He Grows

Recently, we were going through some photo albums/scrapbooks. It is very fun to go down memory lane. Today I saw Caleb doing his homework, and I couldn't help taking a picture of Caleb (see picture below). Then I remembered this pictures, so I had to pull it out and scan it.

This is Caleb at about one year.

Brett bought this chair from a street vendor in Las Vegas. We were expecting our first child, and he saw someone selling chairs. He decided to buy it. When he brought it home, he was so excited, but he felt bad about the $$$ he spent. We have really grown to love this chair. It has been downstairs, upstairs, on the main level, in each of the children's bedrooms, basically anywhere and everywhere. A couple of days ago it made its way back into our living room. It has been well used.

Here it the picture I took of Caleb. I don't think he fits in this chair quite the same way he used to.

Caleb in the Pooh chair.

I think we have gotten our $$$ worth on this purchase. It had definitely been well loved.

Freeze Drying

Yesterday morning, as the children were heading out the door to go to school, there was frost on the ground. A couple of hours later I went out the back door and found this...

This bucket had a sheet of ice formed across the top.

My family keeps telling me that we need to replace our dryer before winter really hits because the clothes won't get dry outside when it is freezing. I tell them that we can freeze dry their clothes and they will be just fine.

So yesterday when I found the ice, I couldn't resist. I got a couple of loads out on the lines to dry. I had to clip a piece of the ice from the bucket on the line so that I could prove that it really was that cold out.

Notice the ice under the clothes pin.

The day yesterday did warm up, though, and the clothes dried nicely. They even smell fabulous.

Good Friends

Lately I have been thinking about how grateful I am for good friends. Especially last week when I was out of town, and Brett was home with the children.

Last week Claire was sick, so Brett's plan of putting all of the children on the bus and then going to work was FOILED! He stayed home with her on Monday. Then on Tuesday, a dear friend came to our house and stayed with her all day. This friend brought over medicine and new toothbrushes, cleaned up our house, made dinner, and LOVED our children. The next day she came over after school and took care of the children until Brett made it home.

We also had a friend who came over the previous Saturday, picked up the children, took them to a football game, and then stayed with them (and cleaned my kitchen) until Brett got home from a church meeting.

I have several friends who I can call at a moment's notice, and they are willing to help. This is especially nice since we do not have any family close by. Without family close by, we have created our own extended family (it might just be the midwesterner's way), and it is great to be able to be helped out, and even greater to be able to help others out.

Tonight we have had one of those opportunities to help out. My friend called me and said that her husband was going in for surgery to have his appendix taken out. I didn't even wait, and I told her to bring her children over. She did. We met them in the driveway, took the children, and sent her on her way to the hospital.

It is a little crazy with six children, but we had a lot of fun tonight. We love these children (and they love us, too). Needless to say, scripture time wasn't very reverent.

Here is Brett starting our family scripture reading with one of our extras.

(Just a note - Brett was being very animated as he read and had our friend repeat after him.)

Caleb taking a turn reading.

Claire loving on one of our extras.

Eli taking a turn reading.

Playing bulldozer while Eli is reading.

Emily sharing the love.

Here is Brett and me after scriptures.

I guess I do have to admit that I was not very reverent during scriptures. I was up taking all the pictures. The moment was just too cute to pass up.

Visitors

These are not lady bugs. They are Asian lady beetles. They are out if full force. I knew we saw too many of them right around General Conference, but I never knew why. This year a friend told me that they come out about the time the beans are harvested. The hang out on the bean plants until their home is gone, and they have to find another home (most of the time inside someone's home).

This is the neighbor's shed.

Yesterday, while I was out taking the laundry off the line there were several of these insects flying around. They are pesky.

On a pair of Eli's pants.

This one tried to come into the house with me, but I found it before it made it in.

I don't know how many did make it inside. Who knows?

PINK and PATTERNS

I guess if it is pink, it goes together.

This is not the choice that I would have made in my clothes combinations.

Claire dresses herself.

She likes to wear skirts.

I will not allow her to wear them unless she has on thick tights or shorts.

Today, after school, she was getting ready for dance, and this is what she was wearing.

I was amazed by the combinations she had on.

Again, I guess if it is pink, it goes together.

Go Claire.

Home

I flew in about 8:00 p.m. on Saturday night and met the family out on the curb at the airport. Most of them were happy to see me.

Here is Claire with a giddy smile.

Emily making a face.

Eli wasn't feeling well, and he sat up for a picture. (No, his ears are not pierced, he just has the tailing car's headlight shining past him.)

Caleb didn't like the flashing as my camera was focusing.

Brett, so happy to see me, and here is an action shot.

I am so thankful for Brett to let me go and visit my sister and her family for a week. He was quite a champ. Every one of the children got sick at one time during the week. Brett had to take Monday off to be with Claire. We had a friend come over and sit with Claire on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Brett had to go to work and some friends came over with the children after school until Brett came home. On Thursday, Brett went to work for a couple of hours and then took the rest of the day and Friday off because the children had Thursday and Friday off of school. Saturday, Brett got the children ready to go to the zoo, and left the house about 2:00. He got to the zoo a little before 4 p.m. and found out that the zoo closed at 4. OOPS!

He loaded the children up and took them to Ikea where they bought ice cream and walked around. Then they went to the Mall of America and walked around there. They didn't want to spend any money, so the found a bookstore and sat down are read the Guinness Book of World Records for an hour or so. They watched the flight via Brett's phone, and then they came and got me.

We drove home and got there around 10 p.m. It was a great adventure.

Play Ball

We do a lot of baseball. Ty likes to hit the ball, a lot.

Here he is taking his stance...

batter up

love the tongue

A rough day at the tee!

Ty

I am having a blast being with my sister and her children. I am keeping my nephew busy while my sister is recovering from having #2. Before I change his diaper, put him down for a nap, get him ready for bed, etc. he runs. It takes about four or five laps before he slows down.

This is Ty getting ready for bed. He is running laps before bed.

My sister with her two little guys.

Ty is eating breakfast. He has both of his spoons. At one time, he had both of them in his mouth.